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Kabumpo, the Elegant Elephant swayed along grandly after the 

Prince — Page 18 





KABUMPO 
IN OZ 

BY 

RUTH PLUMLY THOMPSON 

Founded on and continuing the Famous Oz Stories 

BY 

L. FRANK BAUM 

“Royal Historian of Oz” 



Illustrated by 
JOHN R. NEILL 


The Reilly & Lee Co. 

Chicago 



Printed in the United States of America 

U A 


Copyright, 1922 

By 

The Reilly & Lee Co. 


Kabumpo In Oz 


m 151922 

§)CI. A674094 


i. 



Dear Children: 

Do you like Elephants? Do you believe in Giants! And do you 
love all the jolly people of the Wonderful Land of Oz? 

Well, then you’ll want to hear about the latest happenings in 
that delightful Kingdom. All are set forth in true Oz fashion in 
“ Kabumpo in Oz,” the fifteenth Oz book. 

Kabumpo is an Elegant Elephant. He is very old and wise, and 
has a kindly heart, as have all the Oz folks. In the new book you’ll 
meet Prince Pompa, and Peg Amy, a charming Wooden Doll. 
There are new countries, strange adventures and the most surpris- 
ing Box of Magic you have ever heard of. Ruggedo, the wicked 
old Gnome Bang, does a lot of mischief with this before Princess 
Ozma can stop him. 

Of course Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Scraps, Glinda the Good, 
Tik-Tok, and other old friends all are alive and busy in the new 
book. I am just back from the Emerald City with the best of Oz 
wishes for everybody, but especially for you . 

Ruth Plumly Thompson. 

Philadelphia, 

Spring of 1922 



This book is dedicated with 
all of my heart 
To Janet 

My littlest sister hut biggest assistor 

Ruth Plumly Thompson 


LIST 



Page 

1 The Exploding Birthday Cake 15 

2 Picking a Proper Princess.. 30 

3 Kabumpo and Pompa Disappear 44 

4 The Curious Cottabus Appears 50 

5 In the City of The Figure Heads 62 

6 Ruggedo’s History In Six Rocks 78 

7 Sir Hokus And The Giants 95 

8 Woe in the Emerald City 105 

9 Mixed Magic Makes Mischief 114 

10 Peg and Wag to the Rescue 132 

11 The King of the Illumi Nation 145 

12 The Delicious Sea of Soup 160 

13 On the Road to Ev 174 

14 Terror in Ozma’s Palace 188 

15 The Sand Man Takes a Hand 205 

16 Kabumpo Vanquishes The Twigs 211 

17 Meeting the Runaway Country 226 

18 Prince Pompadore Proposes 240 

19 Ozma Takes Things in Hand 255 

20 The Proper Princess is Found 267 

21 How It All Came About 281 

22 Ruggedo’s Last Rock 292 



Princess Ozma, op Oe 





Chapter 1 

The Exploding Birthday Cake 


“r I ^HE cake, you chattering Chittimong! Where is the 
cake? Stirem, Friem, Hashem, where is the 
cake?” cried Eejabo, chief footman in the palace of 
Pumperdink, bouncing into the royal pantry. 

The three cooks, too astonished for speech, and with 
staring eyes, pointed to the center table. The great, 
gorgeous birthday cake was gone, though not two sec- 
15 


Kabumpo in Oz 


onds before it had been placed on the table by Hashem 
himself. 

“It was my m-m-asterpiece,” sobbed Hashem, tear- 
ing off his cap and throwing his apron over his head. 

“Help! Robbers! Thieves!” cried Stirem and 
Friem, running to the window. 

Here was a howdedo. The trumpets blowing for the 
celebration to begin and the best part of the celebration 
gone! 

“We’ll all be dipped for this!” wailed Eejabo, fling- 
ing open the second best china closet so violently that 
three silver cups and a pewter mug tumbled out. Just 
then there was a scream from Hashem, who had 
removed the apron from his head. “Look!” he shrieked. 
“There it is!” 

Back to the table rushed the other three, Stirem and 
Friem rubbing their eyes and Eejabo his head where 
the cups had bumped him severely. Upon the table 
stood the royal cake, as pink and perfect as ever. 

“It was there all the time, mince my eyebrows!” 
spluttered Hashem in an injured voice. “Called me a 
Chittimong, did you?” Grasping a big wooden spoon 
he ran angrily at Eejabo. 

“Was it gone or wasn’t it?” cried Eejabo, appealing 
to the others and hastily catching up a bread knife to 
16 


Chapter One 


end himself. Instantly there arose a babble. 

*‘It was!” 

“It wasn’t!” 

“Was!” Rap, bang, clatter. In a minute they were 
in a furious argument, not only with words but with 
spoons, forks and bowls. And dear knows what would 
have become of the cake had not a bell rung loudly 
and the second footman poked his head through the 
door. 

“The cake! Where is the cake?” he wheezed impor- 
tantly. 

So Eejabo, dodging three cups and a salt cellar, 
seized the great silver platter and dashed into the great 
banquet hall. One pink coat tail was missing and his 
wig was somewhat elevated over the left ear from the 
lump raised by the pewter mug, but he summoned 
what dignity he could and joined the grand procession 
of footmen who were bearing gold and silver dishes 
filled with goodies for the birthday feast of Prince 
Pompadore of Pumperdink. 

The royal guests were already assembled and just as 
Eejabo entered, the pages blew a shrill blast upon their 
silver trumpets and the Prime Pumper stepped for- 
ward to announce their Majesties. 

“Oyez! Oyez!” shouted the Prime Pumper, pound- 
17 


Kabumpo in Oz 

ing on the floor with his silver staff, while the guesu 
politely inclined their heads just as if they had not 
heard the same announcement dozens of times before: 

“Oyez! Oyez! 

“ Pompus the Proud 
And Pozy Pink, 

King and Queen 
Of Pumperdink — 

Way for the King 
And clear the floor, 

Way for our good 
Prince Pompadore. 

Way for the Elegant 
Elephant — Way 
For the King Mid 
The Queen and the 
Prince, I say!” 

So everybody wayed, which is to say they bowed, and 
down the center of the room swept Pompus, very fat 
and gorgeous in his purple robes and jeweled crown, 
and Pozy Pink, very stately and queenlike in her 
ermine cloak, and Prince Pompadore very straight and 
handsome! In fact, they looked exactly as a good old- 
fashioned royal family should. 

But Kabumpo, who swayed along grandly after the 
Prince — few royal families could boast of so royal and 
18 




nmperi 




Kabumpo in Oz 


elegant an elephant! He was huge and gray. On his 
head he wore jeweled bands and a jeweled court robe 
billowed out majestically as he walked. His little eyes 
twinkled merrily and his big ears flapped so sociably, 
that just to look at him put one in a good humor. 
Kabumpo was the only elephant in Pumperdink, or in 
any Kingdom near Pumperdink, so no wonder he was 
a prime favorite at Court. He had been given to the 
King at Pompa’s christening by a friendly stranger 
and since then had enjoyed every luxury and advan- 
tage. He was not only treated as a member of the royal 
family, but was always addressed as Sir by all of the 
palace servants. 

“He lends an air of elegance to our Court,” the King 
was fond of saying, and the Elegant Elephant he 
surely had become. Now an Elegant Elephant at 
Court might seem strange in a regular up-to-date 
country, but Pumperdink is not at all regular nor up 
to date. It is a cozy, old-fashioned Kingdom, ’way up 
in the northern part of the Gilliken country of Oz; old- 
fashioned enough to wear knee breeches and have a 
King and cozy enough to still enjoy birthday parties 
and candy pulls. 

If Pompus, the King, was a bit proud who could 
blame him? His Queen was the loveliest, his son the 
20 


Chapter One 


most charming and his elephant the most elegant and 
unusual for twenty Kingdoms round about. And 
Pompus, for all his pride, had a very simple way of 
ruling. When the Pumperdinkians did right they 
were rewarded; when they did wrong they were 
dipped. 

In the very center of the courtyard there is a great 
stone well with a huge stone bucket. Into this Pumper- 
dink well all offenders and law breakers were lowered. 
Its waters were dark blue and as the color stuck to one 
for several days the inhabitants of Pumperdink were 
careful to behave well, so that the Chief Dipper, who 
turned the wheel that raised and lowered the bucket, 
often had days at a time with nothing to do. This time 
he spent in writing poetry, and as Prince Pompadore 
took the place of honor at the head of the table the 
Chief Dipper rose from his humble place at the foot 
and with a moist flourish burst forth: 

“ Oh, Pompadore of Pumperdink, 

Of all perfection you’re the pink; 

Tour praises now I utter! 

Your eyes are clear as apple sauce. 

Your head the best I’ve come across; 

Your heart is soft as butter.” 

“Very good,” said the King, and the Chief Dipper 
21 


Kabumpo in Oz 

sat down, blushing with pride and confusion. Prince 
Pompadore bowed and the rest of the party clapped 
tremendously. 

“Sounds like a dipper full of nonsense to me,” 
wheezed Kabumpo, who stood directly back of Prince 
Pompadore’s throne, leisurely consuming a bale of 
hay placed on the floor beside him. It may surprise 
you to know that all the animals in Oz can talk, but 
such is the case, and Pumperdink being in the fairy 
country of Oz, Kabumpo could talk as well as any man 
and better than most. 

“Eyes like apple sauce — heart of butter! Ho-ho, ker- 
rumph!” The Elegant Elephant laughed so hard he 
shook all over; then slyly reaching over the Prime 
Pumper’s shoulder, he snatched his glass of pink lem- 
onade and emptied it down his great throat, setting the 
tumbler back before the old fellow turned his head. 

“Did you call, Sir?” asked Eejabo, hurrying over. 
He had mistaken Kabumpo’s laugh for a command. 

“Yes; why did you not give his Excellency lemon- 
ade?” demanded the Elegant Elephant sternly. 

“I did; he must have drunk it, Sir!” stuttered 
Eejabo. 

“Drunk it!” cried the Prime Pumper, pounding on 
the table indignantly. “I never had any!” 

22 


Chapter One 


“Fetch him a glass at once,” rumbled Kabumpo, 
waving his trunk, and Eejabo, too wise to argue with 
a member of the royal family, brought another glass 
of lemonade. But no sooner had he done so than the 
mischievous elephant stole that, next the Prime Pump- 
er’s plate and roll, and all so quickly, no one but Prince 
Pompadore knew what was happening and poor 
Eejabo was kept running backwards and forwards till 
his wig stood on end with confusion and rage. 

All of this was very amusing to the Prince, and 
helped him to listen pleasantly to the fifteen long 
birthday speeches addressed to him by members of 
the Royal Guard. But if the speeches were dull, the 
dinner was not. The fiddlers fiddled so merrily, and 
the chief cook Hashem had so outdone himself in the 
preparation of new and delicious dainties, that by ice- 
cream-and-cake time everyone was in a high good 
humor. 

“The cake, my good Eejabo! Fetch forth the cake!” 
commanded King Pompus, beaming fondly upon his 
son. Nervously Eejabo stepped to the side table and 
lighted the eighteen tall birthday candles. A cake 
that had disappeared once might easily do so again, 
and Eejabo was anxious to have it cut and out of the 
way — out of his way at least. 

23 


Kabumpo in Oz 


Hashem, looking through a tiny crack in the door, 
almost burst with pride as his gorgeous pink master- 
piece was set down before the Prince. 

“Many happy returns of your eighteenth birthday!” 
cried the Courtiers, jumping to their feet and waving 
their napkins enthusiastically. 

“Thank you! Thank you!” chuckled Pompadore, 
bowing low. “ I feel that this is but one of many more 
to come!” Which may sound strange, but Pumper- 
dink being in Oz, one may have as many eighteenth 
birthdays as one cares to have. This was Pompa’s 
tenth and while the courtiers drank his health the 
Prince made ready to blow out the birthday candles. 

“That’s right, blow ’em all out at once!” cried the 
King. So Pompa puffed out his cheeks and blew with 
all his might. But not a candle flickered. Then he 
tried again. Indeed, he puffed and blew until he was 
a regular royal purple, but nary a candle flame so 
much as wavered. 

“Stubbomest candles I ever saw!” blustered King 
Pompus. Then he puffed out his cheeks and hlew like 
a porpoise; so did Queen Pozy and the Prime Pumper; 
so did everybody. They blew until every dish upon 
the table skipped and they all sank back exhausted in 
their chairs, but the candles burned as merrily as ever. 

24 


Chapter One 

Then Kabumpo took a hand — or rather a trunk. 
He had been watching the proceedings with his 
twinkling little eyes. Now he took a tremendous 
breath, pointed his trunk straight at the cake and 
blew with all his strength. 



Every candle went out — but stars! As they did, the 
great pink cake exploded with such force that half the 
Courtiers were flung under the table and the rest 
knocked unconscious by flying fragments of icing, 
tumblers and plates. 


25 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“ Treason! ” screamed Pompus, the first to recover 
from the shock. “Who dared put gunpowder in the 
cake?” Brushing the icing from his nose, he glared 
around angrily. The first person to catch his eye was 
Hashem, the cook, who stood trembling in the door- 
way. 

“ Dip him!” shouted the King furiously. And the 
Chief Dipper, only too glad of an excuse to escape, 
seized poor Hashem. “And him!” ordered the King, 
as Eejabo tried to sidle out of the room. “And them!” 
as all the other footmen started to run. Forming his 
victims in a line the Chief Dipper marched them 
sternly from the banquet hall. 

“Oyez! Oyez Everybody shall be dipped!” mum- 
bled the Prime Pumper, feebly raising his head. 

“Oh, no! Oh, no! Nothing of the sort!” snapped 
the King, fanning poor Queen Pozy Pink with a plate. 
She had fainted dead away. 

“What is the meaning of this outrage?” shouted 
Pompus, his anger rising again. 

“How should I know?” wheezed Kabumpo, drag- 
ging Prince Pompadore from beneath the table and 
pouring a jug of cream over his head. 

“Something hit me,” moaned the Prince, opening 
his eyes. 


26 


Chapter One 


“ Of course it did!” said Kabumpo. “The cake hit 
you. Made a great hit with us all — that cake!” The 
Elegant Elephant looked ruefully at his silk robe of 
state, which was hopelessly smeared with icing; then 
put his trunk to his head, for something hard had 
struck him between the eyes. He felt about the floor 
and found a round shiny object which he was about to 
show the King when Pompus pounced upon a tall 
scroll sitting upright in his tumbler. In the confusion 
of the moment it had escaped his attention. 

“Perhaps this will explain,” spluttered the King, 
breaking the seal. Queen Pozy Pink opened her eyes 
with a sigh, and the Courtiers, crawling out from 
beneath the table, looked up anxiously, for everyone 
was still dazed from the tremendous explosion. Pom- 
pus read the scroll to himself with popping eyes and 
then began to dance up and down in a frenzy. 

“What is it? What is it?” cried the Queen, trying 
to read over his shoulder. Then she gave a well-bred 
scream and fainted away in the arms of General 
Quakes, who had come up behind her? 

By this time the Prime Pumper had recovered suf- 
ficiently to remember that reading scrolls and court 
papers was his business. Somewhat unsteadily he 
walked over and took the scroll from the King. 

27 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“Oyez! Oyez!” he faltered, pounding on the table. 
“Oh, never mind that!” rumbled Kabumpo, flapping 
his ears. “Let’s hear what it says!” 

“Know ye,” began the old man in a high, shaky 
voice, “know ye that unless ye Prince of ye ancient 



and honorable Kingdom of Pumperdink wed ye Proper 
Fairy Princess in ye proper span of time ye Kingdom 
of Pumperdink shall disappear forever and even longer 
from ye Gilliken country of Oz. J. G” 

“What?” screamed Pompadore, bounding to his feet. 
“Me? But I don’t want to marry!” 

28 


Chapter One 


“You’ll have to,” groaned the King, with a wave at 
the scroll. The Courtiers sat staring at one another 
in dazed disbelief. From the courtyard came the 
splash and splutter of the luckless footmen and the 
dismal creaking of the stone bucket. 

“Oh!” wailed Pompa, throwing up his hands. “This 
is the worst eighteenth birthday I’ve ever had. I’ll 
never have another as long as I live!” 



29 



Chapter 2 

Picking a Proper Princess 

“TT7HAT shall we do first?” groaned the King, 
* * holding his head with both hands. “Let me 
think!” 

“Right,” said Kabumpo. “Think by all means.” 

So the great hall was cleared and the King, with the 
mysterious scroll spread out before him, thought and 
thought and thought . But he did not make much 
30 


Chapter Two 


headway, for, as he explained over and over to Queen 
Pozy, who — with Pompadore, the Elegant Elephant 
and the Prime Pumper — had remained to help him, 
“How is one to know where to find the Proper Prin- 
cess, and how is one to know the proper time for 
Pompa to wed her?” 

Who was J. G.? How did the scroll get in the cake? 

The more the King thought about these questions, 
the more wrinkled his forehead became. 

“"Why! We’re liable to wake up any morning and 
find ourselves gone,” he announced gloomily. “How 
does it feel to disappear, I wonder?” 

“I suppose it would give one rather a gone feeling, 
but I don’t believe it would hurt — much!” volun- 
teered Kabumpo, glancing uneasily over his shoulder. 

“Perhaps not, but it would not get us anyhere. My 
idea is to marry the Prince at once to a Proper Prin- 
cess,” put in the Prime Pumper, “and avoid all this 
disappearing.” 

“You’re in a great hurry to marry me off, aren’t 
you,” said Pompadore sulkily. “For my part, I don’t 
want to marry at all!” 

“Well, that’s very selfish of you, Pompa,” said the 
King in a grieved voice. “Do you want your poor old 
father to disappear?” 


31 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“Not only your poor old father,” choked the Prime 
Pumper, rolling up his eyes. “How about me?” 

“Oh, you — you can disappear any time you want,” 
said the Prince unfeelingly. 

“It all started with that wretched cake,” sighed the 
Queen. “I am positive the scroll flew out of the cake 
when it exploded.” 

“Of course it did!” cried Pompus. “Let us send for 
the cook and question him.” 

So Hashem, very wet and blue from his dip, was 
brought before the King. 

“A fine cook you are!” roared Pompus, “mixing gun 
powder and scrolls in a birthday cake.” 

“But I didn’t,” wailed Hashem, falling on his knees. 
“Only eggs, your Highness — very best eggs — sugar, 
flour, spice and — ” 

“Bombshells!” cried the King angrily. 

“The cake disappeared before the party, your 
Majesty!” cried Eejabo. 

Everyone jumped at the sudden interruption, and 
Eejabo, who had crept in unnoticed, stepped before 
the throne. 

“Disappeared,” continued Eejabo hoarsely, drip- 
ping blue water all over the royal rugs. “One minute 
there it was on the pantry table. Next minute— 
32 


Chapter Two 


gone!” croaked Eejabo, flinging up his hands and 
shrugging his shoulders. 

“Then, before a fellow could turn around, it was 
back. ’Tweren’t our fault if magic got mixed into it, 
and here we have been dipped for nothing!” 

“Well, why didn’t you say so before!” asked the 
King in exasperation. 

“Fine chance I had to say anything!” sniffed 
Eejabo, wringing out his lace ruffles. 

“Eh — rr — you may have the day off, my good man,” 
said Pompus, with an apologetic cough — “And you 
also,” with a wave at Hashem. Very stiffly the two 
walked to the door. 

“It’s an off day for us, all right,” said Eejabo ungra- 
ciously, and without so much as a bow the two disap- 
peared. 

“I fear you were a bit hasty, my love,” murmured 
Queen Pozy, looking after them with a troubled little 
frown. 

“Well, who wouldn’t be!” cried Pompus, ruffling 
up his hair. “Here we are liable to disappear any 
minute and all you do is to stand around and criticize 
me. Begone! ” he puffed angrily, as a page stuck his 
head in the door. 

“No use shouting at people to begone,” said the Ele- 
33 


Kabumpo in Oz 


gant Elephant testily. “We’ll all begone soon 
enough.” 

At this Queen Pozy began to weep into her silk 
handkerchief, which sight so affected Prince Pompa- 
dore that he rushed forward and embraced her ten- 
derly. 

“I’ll marry!” cried the Prince impulsively. “I’ll do 
anything! The trouble is there aren’t any Fairy Prin- 
cesses around here!” 

“There must be,” said the King. 

“There is — There are!” screamed the Prime 
Pumper, bouncing up suddenly. “Oyez, Oyez! Has 
your Majesty forgotten Faleero, royal Princess of Fol- 
lensby forest?” 

“Why, of course!” The King snapped his fingers 
joyfully. “Everyone says Faleero is a Fairy Princess. 
She must be the proper one!” 

“Fa — leero!” trumpeted the Elegant Elephant, sit- 
ting down with a terrific thud. “That awful old crea- 
ture? You ought to be ashamed of yourself!” 

“Silence!” thundered the King. 

“Nonsense!” trumpeted Kabumpo. “She’s a thou- 
sand years old and as ugly as a stone Lukoogoo. Don’t 
you marry her, Pompa.” 

“I command him to marry her!” cried the King 
34 


Chapter Two 


opening his eyes very wide and bending forward. 

“Faleero?” gasped the Prince, scarcely believing 
his ears. No wonder Pompadore was shocked. 
Faleero, although a Princess in her own right and of 
royal fairy descent, was so unattractive that in all her 



thousand years of life no one had wished to marry 
her. She lived in a small hut in the great forest king- 
dom next to Pumperdink and did nothing all day but 
gather faggots. Her face was long and lean, her hair 
thin and black and her nose so large that it made you 
think of a cauliflower. 


35 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“Ugh!” groaned Prince Pompadore, falling back on 
Kabumpo for support. 

“Well, she’s a Princess and a fairy — the only one in 
any Kingdom. I don’t see why you want to be so 
fussy!” said the King fretfully. 

“Shall I tell her Royal Highness of the great good 
fortune that has befallen her?” asked the Prime 
Pumper, starting for the door. 

“Do so at once,” snapped Pompus. Just then he 
gave a scream of fright and pain, for a round shiny 
object had flown through the air and struck him on 
the head. “What was that?” 

The Prime Pumper looked suspiciously at the Ele- 
gant Elephant. Kabumpo glared back. 

“A — a warning!” stuttered the Prime Pumper, 
afraid to say that Kabumpo had flung the offending 
missile. “A warning, your Majesty!” 

“It’s nothing of the kind,” said the King angrily. 
“You’re getting old, Pumper and stupid. It’s — why 
it’s a door knob! Who dares to hit me with a door 
knob?” 

“It hit me once,” mumbled Kabumpo, shifting un- 
easily from one foot to the other three. “How does it 
strike you?” 

“As an outrageous piece of impertinence!” splut- 
36 


Chapter Two 


tered Pompus, turning as red as a turkey cock. 

“Perhaps it has something to do with the scroll,” 
suggested Queen Pozy, taking it from the King. 
“See! It is gold and all the door knobs in the palace 
are ivory. And look! Here are some initials!” 

Sure enough! It was gold and in the very centre 
were the initials P. A. 

Just at this interesting juncture the page, who had 
been poking his head in the door every few minutes, 
gathered his courage together and rushed up to the 
King. 

“Pardon, Most High Highness, but General Quakes 
bade me say that this mirror was found under the win- 
dow,” stuttered the page, and before Pompus had an 
opportunity to cry “Begone!” or “Dip him!” the little 
fellow made a dash for the door and disappeared. 

“It grows more puzzling every minute,” wailed the 
King, looking from the door knob to the mirror and 
from the mirror to the scroll. 

“If you take my advice you’ll have this marriage 
performed at once,” said the Prime Pumper in a trem- 
bling voice. 

“I believe I will!” sighed Pompus, rubbing the 
bump on his head. “ Go and fetch the Princess Faleero 
and you, Pompa, prepare for your wedding.” 

37 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“But Father!” began the Prince. 

“Not another word or you’ll be dipped!” rumbled 
the King of Pumperdink. “Pm not going to have my 
kingdom disappearing if I can help it!” 

“You mean if I can help it,” muttered Pompadore 
gloomily. 

“This is ridiculous!” stormed the Elegant Elephant, 
as the Prime Pumper rushed importantly out of the 
room. “Don’t you know that this country of ours is 
only a small part of the great Kingdom of Oz ? There 
must be hundreds of Princesses for Pompadore to 
choose from. Why should he not wed Ozma, the prin- 
cess of us all? Haven’t you read any Oz history? 
Have you never heard of the wonderful Emerald City? 
Let Pompadore start out at once. I, myself, will 
accompany him, and if Ozma refuses to marry him — 
well” — the Elegant Elephant drew himself up — “I 
will carry her off — that’s all!” 

“It’s a long way to the Emerald City,” mused Queen 
Pozy, “but still—” 

“Yes, and what is to become of us in the meantime 
pray? While you are wandering all over Oz we can 
disappear I suppose! No Sir! Not one step do yon go 
out of Pumperdink. Faleero is the Proper Princess 
and Pompadore shall marry her!” said Pompus. 

38 


Chapter Two 


“You’re talking through your crown,” wheezed 
Kabumpo. “How about the door knob and mirror? 
They came out of the cake as well as the scroll. What 
are you going to do about them? Let’s have a look at 
that mirror.” 

“Just a common gold mirror,” fumed Pompus, hold- 
ing it up for the Elegant Elephant to see. 

“ What’s the matter?” as Kabumpo gave a snort. 

On the face of the mirror, as Kabumpo looked in, 
two words appeared: 


Elegant Elephant. 


And when Pompus snatched the mirror, above his 
reflection stood the words: 


Pat Old King. 


Then Queen Pozy peeped into the mirror, which 
promptly flashed: 


Lovely Queen. 


“Why, it’s telling the truth!” screamed Pompa, 

39 


Kabumpo in Oz 


looking over his mother’s shoulder. At this the words 
“Charming Prince” formed quickly in the glass. 

The Prince grinned at his father, who was now 
quite beside himself with rage. 

“You think Pm fat and old, do you!” snorted the 
King, flinging the gold mirror face down on the table. 
“This is a nice day, I must say ! Scrolls, door knobs, 
mirrors and insults!” 

“But what can P. A. stand for?” mused Queen Pozy 
thoughtfully. 

“Plain enough,” chuckled Kabumpo, maliciously. 
“It stands for perfectly awful!” 

“Who’s perfectly awful?” asked Pompus suspi- 
ciously. 

“Why, Paleero,” sniffed the Elegant Elephant. 
“That’s plain enough to everybody!” 

“Dip him!” shrieked Pompus. “I’ve had enough of 
this! Dip him — do you hear?” 

“That,” yawned Kabumpo, straightening his silk 
robe, “is impossible!” And, considering his size, it 
was. 'But just that minute the Prime Pumper re- 
turned and in his interest to hear what the Princess 
Faleero had said the King forgot about dipping Ka- 
bumpo. 

The courier from the Princess stepped forward. 

40 


Chapter Two 


“Her Highness,” puffed the Prime Pumper, who 
had run all the way, “Her Highness accepts Prince 
Pompadore with pleasure and will marry him to-mor- 
row morning.” 

Prince Pompadore gave a dismal groan. 

“Fine!” cried the King, rubbing his hands together. 
“ Let everything be made ready for the ceremony, and 
in the meantime” — Pompus glared about fiercely — 
“I forbid anyone’s disappearing. I am still the Kang! 
Set a guard around the castle, Pumper, to watch for 
any signs of disappearance, and if so much as a fence 
paling disappears” — he drew himself up — “notify me 
at once l” Then turning to the throne Pompus gave 
his arm to Queen Pozy and together they started for 
the garden. 

“Do you mean to say you are going to pay no atten- 
tion to the mirror or door knob?” cried Kabumpo, 
planting himself in the King’s path. 

“Go away,” said Pompus crossly. 

“Oyez! Oyez ! Way for their Majesties!” cried the 
Prime Pumper, running ahead with his silver staff, 
and the royal couple swept out of the banquet hall. 

“Never mind, Kabumpo,” said the Prince, flinging 
his arm affectionately around the Elegant Elephant’s 
trunk, “I dare say Faleero has her good points — and 
41 



u Flinging his arms affectionately around the Elegant Elephant's 

trunk” 




Chapter Two 


we cannot let the old Kingdom disappear, you know!” 

“Fiddlesticks!” choked Kabumpo. “She’ll make a 
door mat of you, Pompa — Prince Pompadormat — 
that’s what you’ll be! Let’s run away!” he proposed, 
his little eyes twinkling anxiously. 

“I couldn’t do that and let the Kingdom disappear, 
it wouldn’t be right,” sighed the Prince, and sadly he 
followed his parents into the royal gardens. 

“The King’s a Gooch!” gulped the Elegant Ele- 
phant unhappily. Then, all at once he flung up his 
trunk. “Somebody’s going to disappear around here,” 
he wheezed darkly, “that’s certain!” With a mighty 
rustling of his silk robe, Kabumpo hurried off to his 
own royal quarters in the palace. 

Left alone, Prince Pompa threw himself down at 
the foot of the throne, and gazed sadly into space. 


43 



Chapter 3 

Kabumpo and Pompa Disappear 


O NCE in his own apartment, Kabumpo pulled the 
bell rope furiously. 

“My pearls and my purple plush robe! Bring them 
at once!” he puffed when his personal attendant ap- 
peared in the doorway. 

“Yes, Sir! Are you going out, Sir?” murmured the 
little Pumperdinkian, hastening to a great chest in the 
44 


Chapter Three 


comer of the big marble room, to get out of the robe. 

“Not unless disappearing is going out,” said Ka- 
bumpo more mildly, for he was quite fond of this little 
man who waited on him. “But I’m liable to disappear 
any minute. So are you. So is everybody, and I, for 
my part, wish to do the thing well and disappear with 
as much elegance as possible. Have you heard about 
the magic scroll, Spezzle?” 

“Yes, Sir!” quavered Spezzle, mounting a ladder to 
adjust the Elegant Elephant’s pearls and gorgeous 
robe of state. “Yes, Sir, and my head’s going round 
and round like — ” 

“like what?” asked Kabumpo, looking approv- 
ingly at his reflection in the long mirror. 

“I can’t rightly say, Sir,” sighed Spezzle. “This 
disappearing has me that mixed up I don’t know what 
I’m doing.” 

“Well, don’t start by losing your head,” chuckled 
Kabumpo. “There — that will do very well.” He 
lifted the little man down from the ladder. 

“ Good-bye, Spezzle. If you should disappear before 
I should see you again, try to do it in style.” 

“Yes, Sir!” gulped Spezzle. Then taking out a 
bright red handkerchief he blew his nose violently and 
rushed out of the room. 


45 


Kabumpo in Oz 


Kabumpo walked up and down before the mirror, 
surveying himself from all angles. A very gorgeous 
appearance he presented, in his purple plush robe of 
state, all embroidered in silver, and his head bands 
of shining pearls. In the left side of his robe there 
was a deep pocket. Into this the Elegant Elephant 
slipped all the jewels he possessed, taking them from 
a drawer in the chest. 

“I must get that gold door knob,” he rumbled 
thoughtfully. “And the mirror.” Noiselessly (for all 
his tremendous size, Kabumpo could move without a 
sound) he made his way back to the banquet hall and 
loomed up suddenly behind the Prime Pumper. The 
old fellow was staring with popping eyes into the gold 
mirror. 

“Ho, Ho!” roared Kabumpo. “Ho, Ho! Kerumph!” 

No wonder! Above the shocked reflection of the 
foolish statesman stood the words “Old Goose!” 

“A truthful mirror, indeed,” wheezed the Elegant 
Elephant. 

“Heh? What?” stuttered the Prime Pumper, slap- 
ping the mirror down on the table in a hurry. 
“ Where’d you come from? What are you all dressed 
up for?” 

“For my disappearance,” said Kabumpo, sweeping 

46 


Chapter Three 


the door knob and mirror into his pocket. “Fm get- 
ting ready to disappear. How do I look?” 

Before the Prime Pumper had time to answer, the 
Elegant Elephant was gone. 

Back in his own room, Kabumpo paced impatiently 



up and down, waiting for night. “I do not see how 
she could refuse us,” he mumbled every now and then 
to himself. 

That was an anxious afternoon and evening in the 
palace of Pumperdink. Every few minutes the Cour- 
tiers felt themselves nervously to see if they were still 
47 


Kabumpo in Oz 


there. The servants went about on tip-toe, looking 
fearfully over their shoulders for the first signs of dis- 
appearance. As it grew darker the gates and win- 
dows were securely barred and not a candle was 
lighted. “The less the castle shows, the less likely it 
is to disappear,” reasoned the King. 

The darkness suited Kabumpo. He waited until 
everyone in the palace had retired, and a full hour 
longer. Then he stepped softly down the passage to 
the Prince’s apartment. Pompadore, without undress- 
ing, had flung himself upon a couch and fallen into an 
uneasy slumber. 

Without making a sound, Kabumpo took the Prince’s 
crown from a dressing cabinet, slipped it carefully 
into the pocket of his robe, and then carefully lifted 
the sleeping Prince in his curling trunk and started 
cautiously down the great hall. Setting him gently 
on the floor as he reached the palace doors, he pushed 
back the golden bolts and stepped out into the garden. 

The voices of the watchmen calling to each other 
from the great wall came faintly through the dark- 
ness, but the Elegant Elephant hurried to a secret 
unguarded entrance known only to himself and Pomp- 
adore and passed like a great shadow through the 
swinging gates. Once outside, he swung the sleeping 
48 


Chapter Three 


Prince to his broad back and ran swiftly and silently 
through the night. 

“What are we doing ?” murmured the Prince drow- 
sily in his sleep. 

“Disappearing,” chuckled Kabumpo under his 
breath. “Disappearing from Pumperdink, my lad.” 



49 



Chapter 4 


The Curious Cottabus Appears 

“/^VUCH!” Prince Pompadore stirred uneasily and 
rolled over. “Ouch!” he groaned again, giving 
his pillow a fretful thump. “Ouch!” This time his 
eyes flew wide open, for his knuckles were tingling 
with pain. 

“A rock!” gasped the Prince, sitting up indignantly. 
“A rock under my head! No wonder it aches! Great 
50 


Chapter Four 


Gillikens! Where am I?” He stared about wildly. 
There was not a familiar object in sight. Indeed he 
was in a dim, deep forest, and from the distance came 
the sound of someone sawing wood. 

“Oh! Oh! I know!” muttered the Prince, rubbing 
his head miserably. “It’s that wretched scroll. I’ve 
disappeared and this is the place I’ve disappeared to.” 
Stiffly he got to his feet and started to walk in the 
direction of the sawing, but had only gone a few steps 
before he gave a cry of joy, for there, leaning up 
against a tree, snoring like twenty wood-cutters at 
work, was Kabumpo. 

“Wake up!” cried Pompadore, pounding him with 
all his might. “Wake up, Kabumpo. We’ve disap- 
peared!” 

“Have we?” yawned the Elegant Elephant, opening 
one eye. “You don’t say? Hah, Hoh, Hum!” With 
a tremendous yawn he opened the other eye and began 
to chuckle and shake all over. 

“We stole a march on ’em, Pompa. Pd like to see 
the King’s face when he finds us gone. Old Pumper 
will be Oyezing all over the palace. He’ll think we’ve 
disappeared by magic.” 

“Well, didn’t we?” asked Pompadore in amazement. 

“Not unless you call me magic. I carried you off in 
51 


Kabumpo in Oz 


the night. Did you suppose old Kabumpo was going 
to stand quietly by while they married you to a fag- 
gotty old fairy like Faleero? Not much,” wheezed the 
Elegant Elephant. “I have other plans for you, little 
one I” 

“But this is terrible 1” cried the Prince, catching 
hold of a tree. “Here you have left my poor old 
father, my lovely mother, and the whole Kingdom of 
Pumperdink to disappear. We’ll have to go right 
straight back — right straight back to Pumperdink. 
Do you hear?” 

“Do have a little sense!” Kabumpo shook himself 
crossly. “You can’t save them by going back. The 
thing to do is to go forward, find the Proper Princess 
and marry her. No scroll magic takes effect for seven 
days, anyway!” 

“How do you know?” asked Pompa anxiously. 

“Read it in a witch book,” answered Kabumpo 
promptly. “Now, that gives us plenty of time to go to 
the Emerald City and present ourselves to the lovely 
ruler of Oz. There’s a Proper Princess for you, 
Pompa!” 

“But suppose she refuses me,” said the Prince un- 
certainly. 

“You’re very handsome, Pompa, my boy.” The Ele- 
52 


Chapter Four 


gant Elephant gave the Prince a playful poke with 
his trunk. “I’ve brought all my jewels as gifts and 
the magic mirror and door knob as well. If she 
refuses you and the worst comes to the worst” — 
Kabumpo cleared his throat gravely — “well — just 
leave it to me 1” 

After a bit more coaxing and after eating the break- 
fast Kabumpo had thoughtfully brought along, Pompa 
allowed the Elegant Elephant to lift him on his head 
and off they set at Kabumpo’s best speed for the 
Emerald City of Oz. 

Neither the Prince nor the Elegant Elephant had 
ever been out of Pumperdink, but Kabumpo had found 
an old map of Oz in the palace library. According to 
this map, the Emerald City lay directly to the South of 
their own country. “So all we have to do is to keep 
going South,” chuckled Kabumpo softly. Pompadore 
nodded, but he was trying to recall the exact words of 
the mysterious scroll: 

“Know Ye, that unless ye Prince of ye ancient and 
honorable Kingdom of Pumperdink shall wed ye 
Proper Fairy Princess in ye proper span of time ye 
Kingdom of Pumperdink shall disappear forever and 
even longer from ye Gilliken Country of Oz. J. G.” 

Pompadore repeated the words solemnly; then fell 
53 


Kabumpo in Oz 

a-thinking of all he had heard of Ozma of Oz, the love- 
liest little fairy imaginable. 

“She wouldn’t want one of her Kingdom to disap- 
pear,” reflected Pompadore sagely. Now, as it hap- 
pened, Ozma did not even know of the existence of 
Pumperdink. Oz is so large and inhabited by so many 
strange and singular peoples that although fourteen 
books of history have been written about it, only half 
the story has been told. There are no Oz railway or 
steamship lines and traveling is tedious and slow, 
owing to the magic nature of the land itself, its many 
mountains and fairy forests, so that Pumperdink, like 
many of the small Kingdoms on the outskirts of Oz, 
has never been explored by Ozma. 

Oz itself is a huge oblong country divided into four 
parts, the North being the purple Gilliken country, the 
East the blue Munchkin country, the South the red 
lands of the Quadlings, and the West the pleasant yel- 
low country of the Winkies. In the very center of Oz, 
as almost every boy and girl knows, is the wonderful 
Emerald City, and in its gorgeous green palace lives 
Ozma, the lovely little Fairy Princess, whom Kabumpo 
wanted Pompadore to marry. 

“Do you know,” mused the Prince, after they had 
traveled some time through the dim forest, “I believe 
54 


Chapter Four 

that gold mirror has a lot to do with all this. I believe 
it was put in the cake to help me find the Proper Prin- 
cess.” 

“Where would you find a more Proper Princess than 
Ozma?” puffed Kabumpo indignantly. “Ozma is the 
one — depend upon it!” 

“Just the same,” said Pompa firmly, “Pm going to 
try every Princess we meet!” 

“Do you expect to find ’em running wild in the 
woods?” snorted Kabumpo, who didn’t like to be con- 
tradicted. 

“You never can tell.” The Prince of Pumperdink 
settled back comfortably. Now that they were really 
started, he was finding traveling extremely interest- 
ing. “I should have done this long ago,” murmured 
the Prince to himself. “Every Prince should go on a 
journey of adventure.” 

“How long will it take us to reach the Emerald 
City?” he asked presently. 

“Two days, if nothing happens,” answered Ka- 
bumpo. “Say — what’s that?” He stopped short and 
spread his ears till they looked like sails. The under- 
brush at the right was crackling from the springs of 
some large animal, and next minute a hoarse voice 
roared: 


55 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“ I want to know 

The which and what, 

The where and how and why? 

A curious, luxurious 
Old Cottabus am I! 

I want to know the 
When and who, 

The whatfor and whyso, Sir! 

So please attend, there is no end 
To things I want to know, Sir! ” 

“Aha!” exulted the voice triumphantly. “There you 
are!” And a great round head was thrust out, almost 
in Kabumpo’s face. “Oh! Pm going to enjoy this. 
Don’t move!” 

Kabumpo was too astonished to move, and the next 
instant the Cottabus had flounced out of the bushes 
and settled itself directly in front of the two travelers. 
It was large as a pony, but shaped like a great overfed 
cat. Its eyes bulged unpleasantly and the end of its 
tail ended in a large fan. 

“Well,” grunted Kabumpo after the strange crea- 
ture had regarded them for a full minute without 
blinking. 

“Well, what?” it asked, beginning to fan itself 
sulkily. “You act as if you had never seen a Cottabus 
before.” 


56 




































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/ 




X , 












































































5 1 




. 





































'V * - 


■* . 
















• > 




• • 


























4 













• ' 




















































». * 





























































A - * 


* • • • ^ 








































































\ 








The Cottabus was as large as a pony, but shaped like a great overfed 

cat — Page 56 



Chapter Four 


“We never have,” admitted Pompa, peering over 
Kabumpo’s head and secretly wishing he had brought 
along his jeweled sword. 

“Why haven’t you?” asked the Cottabus, rolling up 
its eyes. “How frightfully ignorant!” It closed its 
fan tail with a snap and looked up at them disapprov- 
ingly. “Will you kindly tell me who you are, where 
you came from, when you came, what you are going 
for, how you are going to get it, why you are going 
and what you are going to do when you do get it!” 

“I don’t see why we should tell you all that,” grum- 
bled Kabumpo. “It’s none of your affair.” 

“Wrong!” shrieked the creature hysterically. “It 
is the business of a Cottabus to find out everything. I 
live on other people’s affairs, and unless” — here it 
paused, took a large handkerchief out of a pocket in its 
fur and began to wipe its eyes — “unless a Cottabus 
asks fifty questions a day it curls up in its porch rocker 
and d-d-dies, and this is my fifth questionless day.” 

“Curl up and die, then,” said Kabumpo gruffly. 
But the kind-hearted Prince felt sorry for the foolish 
creature. 

“If we answer your questions, will you answer 
ours?” 

“I’ll try,” sniffed the Curious Cottabus, and leaning 
57 


Kabumpo in Oz 


over it dragged a rocking chair out of the bushes and 
seated itself comfortably. 

“Well, then,” began Pompa, “this is the Elegant 
Elephant and I am a Prince. We came from Pumper- 
dink because our Kingdom was threatened with disap- 
pearance unless I marry a Proper Princess.” 



“Yes,” murmured the Cottabus, rocking violently. 
“Yes, yes!” 

“And we are going to the Emerald City to ask Prin- 
cess Ozma for her hand,” continued the Prince. 

“How do you know she is the one? When did this 
happen? Who brought the message? What are you 
58 


Chapter Four 


going to do if Ozma refuses you?” asked the Cottabus, 
leaning forward breathlessly. 

“Are you going to stand talking to this ridiculous 
creature all day?” grumbled Kabumpo. But Pompa- 
dore, perhaps because he was so young, felt flattered 
that even a curious old Cottabus should take such an 
interest in his affairs. So beginning at the very begin- 
ning he told the whole story of his birthday party. 

“Yes, yes,” gulped the Cottabus wildly each time 
the Prince paused for breath. “Yes, yes,” fluttering 
its fan excitedly. When Pompadore had finished the 
Cottabus leaned back, closed its eyes and put both 
paws on the arms of the rocker. “I never heard any- 
thing more curious in my life,” said the curious one. 
“This will keep me amused for three days!” 

“Of course — that’s what we’re here for— to amuse 
you!” said Kabumpo scornfully. “Let’s be going, 
Pompa!” 

“Perhaps the Curious Cottabus can tell us some- 
thing of the country ahead. Are there any Princesses 
living ’round here?” the Prince asked eagerly. 

“Never heard of any,” said the Cottabus, opening its 
eyes. “Can you multiply — add — divide and sub- 
tract? Are you good at fractions, Prince?” 

“Not very,” admitted Pompadore, looking mystified. 

59 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“Then you won’t make much headway,” sighed the 
Cottabus, shaking its head solemnly. “Now, don’t ask 
me why,” it added lugubriously, dragging its rocker 
back into the brush, and while Kabumpo and Pompa 
stared in amazement it wriggled away into the bushes. 

“Come on,” cried Kabumpo with a contemptuous 
grunt, but he had only gone a few steps when the 
Curious Cottabus stuck its head out of an opening in 
the trees just ahead. “When are you coming back?” 
it asked, twitching its nose anxiously. 

“Never!” trumpeted Kabumpo, increasing his 
speed. Again the Cottabus disappeared, only to re- 
appear at the first turn in the road. 

“Did you say the door knob hit you on the head ?” 
it asked pleadingly. 

Kabumpo gave a snort of anger and rushed along so 
fast that Pompa had to hang on for dear life. 

“ Guess we’ve left him behind this time,” spluttered 
the Elegant Elephant, after he had run almost a mile. 

But at that minute there was a wheeze from the 
underbrush and the head of the Cottabus was thrust 
out. Its tongue was hanging out and it was panting 
with exhaustion. “How old are you?” it gasped, roll- 
ing its eyes pitifully. “Who was your grandfather on 
your father’s side, and was he bald?” 

60 


Chapter Four 


“Kerumberty Bumpus!” raged the Elegant Ele- 
phant, flouncing to the other side of the road. 

“But why was the door knob in the cake?” gulped 
the Cottabus, two tears trickling off its nose. 

“How should we know,” said Pompa coldly. 

“Then just tell me the date of your birth,” wailed 
the Cottabus, two tears trickling off its nose. 

“No! No!” screamed Kabumpo, and this time he 
ran so fast that the tearful voice of the Cottabus be- 
came fainter and fainter and finally died away alto- 
gether. 

“Provokingest creature Fve ever met,” grumbled 
the Elegant Elephant, and this time Pompa agreed 
with him. 

“Isn’t it almost lunch time?” asked the Prince. He 
was beginning to feel terribly hungry. 

“And aren’t there any villages or cities between here 
and the Emerald City?” Pompa spoke again. 

“Don’t know,” wheezed Kabumpo, swinging ahead. 

“Oh! There’s a flag!” cried Pompa suddenly. “It’s 
flying above the tree tops just ahead.” 

And so it was — a huge, flapping black flag covered 
with hundreds of figures and signs. 

“Hurry up, Kabumpo,” urged the Prince. “This 
looks interesting.” 


61 



Chapter 5 


In The City of The Figure Heads 

“TT reminds me of something disagreeable,” an- 
swered Kabumpo, as he eyed the flag. Neverthe- 
less he quickened his steps and in a moment they came 
to a clearing in the forest, surrounded by a tall black 
picket fence. The only thing visible above the fence 
was the strange black flag, and as the forest on either 
side was too dense to penetrate and there seemed to 
62 


Chapter Five 


be no way around, Kabumpo thumped loudly on the 
center gate. 

It was flung open at once, so suddenly that 
Kabumpo, who had his head pressed against the bars, 
fell on his knees and shot Pompadore clear over his 
head. Altogether it was a very undignified entrance. 

“Oh! Oh! Now we shall have some fun!” screamed 
a high, thin voice, and immediately the cry was taken 
up by hundreds of other voices. A perfect swarm of 
strange creatures surrounded the two travelers. The 
Elegant Elephant took one look, put back his ears and 
snatched Pompa from the paving stones. 

“Stop that!” he rumbled threateningly. “Who are 
you anyway?” The crowd paid no attention to the 
Elegant Elephant’s question, but continued to dance 
up and down and scream with glee. Clutching Ka- 
bumpo’s ear, Pompa peered down with many misgiv- 
ings. They were entirely surrounded by thin, spry 
little people, who had figures instead of heads, and the 
fours, eights, sevens and ciphers bobbing up and down 
made it terribly confusing. 

“Let’s go!” said Pompa, who was growing dizzier 
every minute. But the Figure Heads were wedged so 
closely around them Kabumpo could not move and 
they were shouting so lustily that the Elegant Ele- 
63 


Kabumpo in Oz 


phant’s voice was drowned in the hubbub. Finally, 
Kabumpo’s eyes began to snap angrily and, taking a 
deep breath, he threw up his trunk and trumpeted like 
fifty ferry-boat whistles. The effect was immediate 
and astonishing. Half of the Figure Heads fell on 
their faces, and the other half fell on their backs and 
stared vacantly up at the sky. 

“Conduct us to your Ruler!” roared Kabumpo, in 
the dead silence that followed. 

“How’d you know we had a Ruler?” asked a Seven, 
getting cautiously to its feet. 

“Most countries have,” said the Elegant Elephant 
shortly. 

“He’s got no right to order us around,” said a Six, 
sitting up and jerking its thumb at Kabumpo. 

“Yes — but!” Seven frowned at Six and put his 
hands over his ears. “ This way,” he said gruffly, and 
Kabumpo, stepping carefully, for many of the Figure 
Heads were still on their backs, followed Seven. 

If the inhabitants of this strange city were queer, 
their city was even more so. The air was dry and 
choky and the houses were dull, oblong affairs, set in 
rows and rows with never a garden in sight. Each 
street had a large signpost on the comer, but they 
were not at all like the signs one usually sees in cities. 

64 


Chapter Five 


For these were plus and minus signs with here and 
there a long division sign. 

“I suppose everything in this street’s divided up,” 
mumbled Pompadore, looking up at a division sign 
curiously. 



“Hope they don’t subtract any of our belongings,” 
whispered Kabumpo, as they turned into Minus Alley. 
“Look, Pompa, at the houses. Ever see anything like 
’em before?” 

“They remind me of something disagreeable,” 
mused the Prince. “Why, they’re books, Kabumpo, 
65 


Kabumpo in Oz 

great big arithmetic books!” Pompa pointed at one. 

“You mean they are shaped like books,” said the 
Elegant Elephant. “I never saw books with windows 
and doors!” 

“A lot you know!” said Seven, looking back scorn- 
fully, but Kabumpo was too interested to care. Out of 
the windows of the big book houses leaped hundreds 
of the little Figure Heads, and they laughed and 
jeered at Pompa and Kabumpo. 

“Ho! Ho!” yelled one, leaning out so far it nearly 
fell on its Eight. “Wait till the Count sees ’em. He’ll 
make an example of ’em!” 

“What an awful country,” whispered Pompadore, 
ducking just in time, as a Four snatched at his hair 
from an open window. But just then they turned a 
comer and entered a large gloomy court. Sitting on a 
square and solid wood throne, surrounded by a guard 
of Figure Heads, sat the Giant Ruler of this strange 
city. 

“What have you got there, Seven?” roared the 
Ruler. 

“I am the Elegant Elephant and this is the Prince 
of Pumperdink,” announced Kabumpo before Seven 
could answer. Pompadore, himself, could say nothing 
for he had never before been addressed by a wooden 
66 


Chapter Five 


Ruler in his life. And that is exactly what the King 
of the Figure Heads was — an ordinary school ruler, 
twice as large as a man, with arms and legs and a great 
square head set atop of his thin flat body. 



“I don’t care a rap who you are. I want to know 
what you are?” said the Ruler. 

“We are travelers,” spoke up Pompa, swallowing 
hard — “travelers in search of a Proper Princess.” 

“Well, you won’t find any here,” grunted the Ruler 
shortly. “ We don’t believe in ’em! ” 

“Would you mind telling me the name of your King- 
67 



Kabumpo in Oz 


dom,” asked Pompa, somewhat cast down by these 
words. 

“You have no heads/’ announced the Ruler calmly, 
“or you would have known that this is Rith Metic. I” 
he hammered himself upon the wooden chest — “I am 
its Ruler and every inch a King — King of the Figure 
Heads,” he added, glaring around as if he expected 
someone to contradict him. 

“All right! All right!” wheezed Kabumpo, bowing 
his head twice. “I knew twelve inches made a foot 
rule, but I never knew they made a King Rule. But 
could you give us some luncheon and allow us to pass 
peaceably through your Kingdom?” 

“Pass through!” exclaimed the King, standing up 
indignantly. “We don’t pass anyone through here. 
You’ve got to work your way through. Pass through, 
indeed! And when you’ve worked your way through 
we’ll put you in a problem and make an example of 
you.” 

“They’ll make a very good example, your Majesty,” 
said a tall thin individual standing next to the Ruler. 
He eyed the two cunningly. “If a thin Prince sets out 
on a fat elephant to find a Proper Princess, how many 
yards of fringe will the elephant lose from his robe and 
how bald will the Prince be at the end of the journey? 

68 


Chapter Five 


I don’t believe anyone could figure that out,” he mur- 
mured gleefully. 

“It might be done by subtraction,” said the King, 
looking at the two critically. 

“Great hay stacks!” rumbled Kabumpo, glaring 
over his shoulder to see if he had lost any fringe so far. 
“What have we gotten into?” 

“Bald!” gulped Pompa, rubbing his head. “Do you 
mean to say you take poor innocent travelers and 
make them into arithmetic problems?” 

“Why not?” said the thin one, who looked exactly 
like a giant lead pencil. “And please address me as 
Count, after this — Count It Up is my name. What’s 
the matter with living in a problem, my boy? Life is 
a problem, after all, and you will get used to it in time. 
I’ll try to assign you to a comfortable book and you’ll 
find book-keeping a lot more simple than house-keep- 
ing. This way, please!” 

“Please go,” yawned the Euler, waving his hand. 
“The Count will take you in charge now.” And so 
dazed was the Elegant Elephant by all this strange 
reasoning that he tamely followed the lead pencil per- 
son. 

“Good-bye!” shouted the Euler hoarsely. “Start 
them on simple additions,” he said as they moved off. 

69 


Kabumpo in Oz 


The street ahead was filled with Figure Heads and 
as Kabumpo paused they began forming themselves 
into sums. The first row sat down, the next knelt 
behind them, the third stood up, the fourth nimbly 
leaped upon the shoulders of the third, and so on, 
until a long addition confronted the travelers. 

“Now,” said Count It Up in his blunt way, “as you 
haven’t figures for heads, let us see if you have heads 
for figures.” Kabumpo pushed back his pearl head- 
dress and drops of perspiration began to run down his 
trunk. Prince Pompa, lying flat on Kabumpo’s head, 
started to add up the first line of figures. 

“Eighty-three,” he announced anxiously. 

“Say three and eight to carry,” snapped Count It 
Up. “Here, Three!” A Three stepped out of the 
crowd and placed itself under the line. “I’ve got to be 
carried!” cried Eight, looking sulkily at Pompa. 

“Carried!” snorted Kabumpo, snatching Eight into 
the air. “Well, I’ll attend to you. You do the adding, 
Pompa, and I’ll do the carrying.” 

He landed the Eight head down at the bottom of the 
line of Figure Heads and swung his trunk carelessly 
while he waited for his next victim. So, slowly and 
painfully, Pompa counted up the long lines and Ka- 
bumpo carried and if they made the slightest mistake 
70 



Slowly and Painfully Pompa Counted up the Long Lines 



Kabumpo in Oz 


the Figure Heads shouted with scorn and danced 
about till the confusion was terrible. When an exam- 
ple was finished, the Figure Heads in it marched 
away but another would immediately form lines ahead 
so that it took them a whole hour to go two blocks. 

“Oh!” groaned Pompa at last, “We’ll never get 
through this, Kabumpo. Look at those awful frac- 
tions ahead! Can’t I skip fractions?” he asked look- 
ing pleadingly at Count It IJp. 

“Certainly not!” said the pencilly man stroking his 
shiny hair, which was straight and black and grew up 
into a sharp point. “You shall skip nothing!” 

“That gives me an idea,” whispered Kabumpo hus- 
kily. “Why shouldn’t we skip altogether? We’re 
bigger than they are. Why—” 

“How are you getting on?” At the sound of that 
hoarse, familiar voice both the Prince and Kabumpo 
jumped. 

“You don’t mind me asking, I hope?” Clinging to 
the high picket fence and looking anxiously through 
the bars was the Curious Cottabus. 

“Have you found the Greatest Common Divisor 
yet?” 

Who s he?” asked the Elegant Elephant suspi- 
ciously. 


72 


I 



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Chapter Five 

“Isn’t there any way out of Rith Metic but this?” 
wailed Pompa, looking at the Cottabus pleadingly. 
He was too tired to min d being questioned. 

The curious beast was delighted to have this new 
opportunity to talk to the travelers. 

“Will you answer a few questions if I tell you?” 
asked the Cottabus, raising itself with great difficulty 
and looking over the palings. 

“ Yes — yes — anything,” promised Pompa. 

“Do you care for strawberry tarts?” asked the Cot- 
tabus, twitching its nose very rapidly. 

“Of course,” said the Prince. “Oh! Do hurry. Count 
It Up will be back in a moment!” He had run ahead to 
arrange a new problem and the rest of the Figure 
Heads paid no attention to the queer creature clinging 
to the palings. 

“Are you going to invite the Scarecrow to your wed- 
ding?” gulped the Cottabus. 

“I don’t know any Scarecrow,” said Pompa, “so 
how could I?” 

“Are you fond of that old elephant?” The Cottabus 
waved at Kabumpo, who stamped first one foot then 
another and fairly snorted with rage. 

“All right,” sighed the Curious Cottabus, “that 
makes my fifty questions.” 

73 


Kabumpo in Oz 


Hanging on to the fence with one paw it waved the 
other backward and forward as it chanted: 

“ How many tics in Rith Metic? 

Tell me that and tell me quick! 

But if you can’t it’s not my fault, 

So simply turn a wintersault!” 

The head of the Cottabus disappeared. 

“Now isn’t that provoking,” gulped the Prince. 
“After it promised to help us, too!” 

“I meant summersault,” wheezed the Cottabus, re- 
appearing suddenly — 

“ And if you can’t it’s not your fault, 

So simply turn a summersault! ” 

it recited dolefully, and losing its balance fell off the 
fence and landed with a thud on the ground below. 

“Here! Hurry along!” scolded Count It Up, prod- 
ding Kabumpo with a sharp pencil. “The next is a 
nice little problem in fractions.” 

“I wonder if it meant anything?” mused Pompa- 
dore, as Kabumpo approached the new problem. “‘If 
you can’t it’s not your fault, so simply turn a summer- 
sault.’ Anyway it wouldn’t hurt to try. Stop a min- 
ute, Kabumpo!” 


74 


Chapter Five 


Sliding down the Elegant Elephant’s trunk, the 
Prince put his head on the ground and very carefully 
and deliberately turned a somersault. At his first 
motion Count It Up gave a deafening scream, fell on 
his head and broke off his point, while the Figure 
Heads began to run in every direction. 



“Do it again! Do it again!” cried Kabumpo joy- 
fully. So Pompa turned another somersault and 
another, and another, and another, till not a Figure 
Head was in sight Even the Figure Heads at the win- 
dows of the houses tumbled out and dashed madly 
around the comer. Before they could return, Ka- 
bumpo snatched up Pompa and tore through the de- 
serted streets of Kith Metic till he came to the black 
75 


Kabumpo in Oz 


iron gate at the other end of the city. Butting it open 
with his head, the Elegant Elephant dashed through 
and never stopped running till he was miles away from 
there. 

“Have t© rest a bit and eat some leaves,” puffed 
Kabumpo, at last slowing down. “Whe — w!” 

“Wish I could eat leaves,” sighed the Prince, as 
Kabumpo began lunching off the tree tops. “But, 
never min d, we’re out of Rith Metic! Wasn’t it lucky 
that Cottabus followed us? I never would have 
thought of getting out of sums by somersaulting. 
Would you?” 

“Only sensible thing it ever said, probably,” an- 
swered the Elegant Elephant, with his mouth full of 
leaves. “There’s a lot more to be learned by travel- 
ing than by studying, my boy. Somersaults for 
sums — let’s always remember that!” 

Pompa did not answer. He slid down Kabumpo’s 
trunk and began hunting anxiously around for some- 
thing to eat. Not far away he found a large nut tree 
and, gathering a handful of nuts, he sat down and 
began to crack them on a white marble slab near by. 
Next instant Kabumpo heard a thud and a muffled cry. 

The Prince of Pumperdink had vanished, as if by 
magic. 


76 


Chapter Five 


“Where are you?” screamed the Elegant Elephant, 
pounding through the brush. “Pompa! Pompa! 
He’s disappeared,” gasped Kabumpo, rushing over to 
the marble slab. There was not a sign of the Royal 
Prince of Pumperdink anywhere, but carved carefully 
on the white stone were these words: 


Please Knock Before You Fall In. 


“Fall in!” snorted Kabumpo, his eyes rolling wildly. 
“Great Gooch!” 


77 




Chapter 6 

Ruggedo’s History In Six Rocks 

O N the same night that Prince Pompa and Ka- 
bumpo had disappeared from Pumperdink, a lit- 
the gray gnome crouched in a deep chamber, tunneled 
under the Emerald City, laboriously carving letters on 
a big rock. It was Ruggedo, the old Gnome King, 
carving and grumbling and grumbling and carving, 
and pausing every few minutes to light his pipe with 
78 



Chapter Six 


a hot coal which he kept in his pocket for that pur- 
pose. A big emerald lamp cast a green glow over the 
strange cavern and made the gnome look like a bad 
green goblin, which he was. 

“Wag!” screamed the gnome, suddenly throwing 
down his chisel. “Where are you, you long-eared vil- 
lain?” There was a slight stir at the back of the cave 
and a rabbit, of about the same size as the gnome, shuf- 
fled slowly forward. 

“What you want?” he asked, rubbing one eye with 
his paw. 

“Bring me a cup of melted mud, idiot!” roared the 
gnome, pounding on the rock. “And serve it to me 
on my throne at once! ” 

“Now, see here,” the rabbit twitched his nose rap- 
idly, “I’ll get you a cup of melted mud, but don’t you 
call me an idiot. I don’t mind working for one, nor 
digging for one and listening to his foolishness, but 
nobody can call me an idiot — not even a make-believe 
King!” 

“Oh, you make me tired!” fumed the gnome. 

“Then go to sleep,” advised the rabbit with a yawn. 
“What’s the use of trying to pretend you’re a King, 
Rug? Ho, ho! King over one wooden doll, six rocks 
and twenty-seven sofa cushions! You may have been 
79 


Kabumpo in Oz 

a King once, but now you’re just a plain gnome and 
nothing else, and if you go and sit quietly in your plain 
rocking chair I’ll bring you a cup of plain mud.” 

With a chuckle, the rabbit retired, and Ruggedo, 
spluttering with fury, flounced into a doll’s broken 
rocker that was set in the exact center of the cave. 

“Here I give that rabbit everything I steal and he 
won’t even allow me the little luxury of calling him an 
idiot or of pulling his ears. How can I pretend to be 
a Kang without an ear to pull?” grumbled the gnome. 

“What are you grinning at?” Bouncing out of his 
chair, Ruggedo flew at a merry-faced wooden doll who 
sat propped up against the wall and shook her till her 
head turned round backwards and her arms and legs 
flew every which way. Then he hurled her violently 
into a comer. Quite out of breath he sank back in his 
chair and stared angrily about. 

When Wag returned the gnome snatched the tin cup 
of melted mud and tossed it down with one gulp. Then, 
flinging the cup at the doll, he went back to work. 

The rabbit shook his head mournfully and, picking 
up the wooden doll, straightened her out and placed 
her on a cushion. Then, yawning again, he lit a candle 
and started for the passage at the back of the cave. 

“How are you getting on?” he asked, pausing to 
80 




Chapter Six 

look over the gnome’s shoulder with a grin. > 

“Fine!” answered Ruggedo, forgetting to scowl. 
“ I’m up to the sixth rock and expect to finish to-night.” 

“Who do you think will read it?” asked the rabbit, 
putting back both ears and stroking his whiskers. 
Then he gave a great spring, just escaped the chisel 
Ruggedo had flung at his head, and pattered away into 
the darkness. For several minutes the gnome danced 
up and down with fury. Then, as there was no one 
to pinch or shake, he started to work harder than ever 
on the sixth rock of his history. There were six of 
the great stones set in a row on one side of the cavern 
and the carving on them had taken the old gnome 
King the best part of two years. The letters were 
crooked and roughly chiseled, but quite readable. On 
the first rock he had carved: 


History of Ruggedo in Six Rocks 
Ruggedo the Rough — King of the Gnomes 
One time Metal Monarch, at other times a 
Limoneag, a goose, a nut, and now a com- 
mon gnome by order of 

Ozma of Oz. 


81 



Kabumpo in Oz 


The second rock told of Ruggedo’s magnificent 
Kingdom under the mountains of Ev, of the thousands 
of gnomes he had ruled and the great treasure of pre- 
cious gems he had possessed, in those good old days 
before he was banished from his dominions. 

The third rock told of his transformation of the 
Queen of Ev and her children into ornaments for his 
palace and of their rescue by a party from Oz, through 
the cleverness of Billina, a yellow hen. It told of the 
loss of his Magic Belt which was captured at this same 
time by Dorothy, a little girl from Kansas. 

The fourth rock related how Ruggedo had tried to 
conquer Oz and recover his belt; how all of his plans 
failed and how he tumbled into the Fountain of Obliv- 
ion and forgot all about his campaign. 

The fifth rock had taken Ruggedo the longest to 
carve, for it gave the story of his banishment by the 
Great Jinn Titihoochoo. You have probably read this 
story yourself. How Tik Tok, Betsy Bobbin, Shaggy- 
man and Polychrome, trying to find Shaggy’s brother, 
hidden in the Gnome King’s metal forest, were thrown 
down a long tube to the other side of the world, and 
how the owner of the tube sent Quox, the dragon, to 
punish Ruggedo by banishment from his Kingdom and 
how Kaliko was made King of the Gnomes. 

82 


Chapter Six 


The sixth rock told of Ruggedo’s last attempt to cap- 
ture Oz. Meeting Kiki Aru, a Highup boy who knew 
a magic transformation word, Ruggedo suggested that 
they change themselves to Limoneags — queer beasts 
with lion heads, monkey tails and eagle wings — get all 
the beasts of Oz to help and march on the Emerald 
City. But this plan failed, too. Kiki lost his tem- 
per and changed Ruggedo to a goose, the Wizard of 
Oz discovered the magic word and changed both the 
conspirators to nuts. Later on they were changed back 
to their normal shapes, but again Ruggedo was 
plunged into the Fountain of Oblivion and again forgot 
his wicked plans. This ended the rock history, except 
for a short sentence stating that Ruggedo now lived in 
the Emerald City. 

But the magic of the Fountain of Oblivion had soon 
worn off and it was not long before Ruggedo began to 
remember his past wickedness. That is why he de- 
cided to carve his life story in rock, so that it would 
be handy should he ever fall into the forgetful foun- 
tain again. And it had taken six rocks to tell all of 
his adventures. He had not carved these stories just 
as they had happened, nor ever called himself wicked, 
but he had told most of the facts, leaving out the parts 
most unflattering to himself. And now it was finished 
83 


Kabumpo in Oz 

— his whole history in six rocks. Throwing down his 
chisel for the last time, Ruggedo straightened up and 
regarded his work with glowing pride. 


“I don’t believe there’s another history like this in 
all Oz,” puffed the gnome, tugging at his silver beard. 



“It’s a good thing,” chuckled Wag, who had come 
back to eat a carrot. “Oz would not be a very happy 
place if there were many folks like you.” 

He seated himself quietly on the first rock of Rug- 
gedo’s history, and began nibbling his carrot. 

“Get up! How dare you sit on my history?” Rug- 

84 


Chapter Six 


gedo stamped his foot and started threateningly to- 
ward Wag. 

“All right,” said the rabbit, “it’s too hard, anyway.” 

“Of course it’s hard,” stormed Ruggedo. “I’ve had 
a hard life; hard as those rocks. Everybody’s been 
against me from the very start, and all because Tm so 
little,” he finished bitterly. 

“No, because you are so wicked,” said the rabbit 
calmly. “Now, don’t throw your pipe at me, for you 
know it’s the truth.” 

Ruggedo glared at the rabbit for a minute, then 
rushed over to the wooden doll, and began shaking her 
furiously. He always vented his rage on the wooden 
doll. 

“Stop that,” screamed Wag, “or I’ll leave upon the 
spot. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You old 
scrabble-scratch.” 

“She’s not alive,” snapped Ruggedo sulkily. 

“How do you know?” retorted the rabbit. “Any- 
way, she’s a jolly creature. Fm not going to have her 
banged around. Here you’ve taken her away from her 
little mother, and she hasn’t even anyone to rock her 
to sleep.” 

“Til rock her to sleep,” screamed Ruggedo, mali- 
ciously. And flinging the doll on the floor he began 
85 


Kabumpo in Oz 


hurling small rocks at the helpless little figure. 

Scrambling to his feet, Wag rescued the wooden doll 
again, and Ruggedo, who really was afraid the rabbit 
would leave him, subsided into his rocking chair. Then 
reaching up to a small shelf over his head, he pulled 



down an accordion. At the first doleful wheeze Wag 
gave a great hop, dropped Peg and disappeared into 
his room in the farthest corner of the cave. 

After his last attempt to capture Oz, the gnome had 
been given a small cottage to live in, just outside the 
Emerald City. But Ruggedo could not bear life above 


Chapter Six 


ground. The sunlight hurt his eyes, and the con- 
tented, happy faces of the people hurt his feelings, for 
he was exactly what Wag had called him — an old 
scrabble-scratch. So, while he pretended to live in the 
little cottage, according to Ozma’s orders, he really 
spent most of his time in this deep, dark cave. He 
entered it by a secret passage, opening from his cellar. 

Digging the long passage had been the hardest work 
Ruggedo had ever done in his bad little life. While 
toiling one day, he had bumped into the underground 
burrow of Wag, a wandering rabbit of Oz, and after a 
deal of bargaining, the rabbit had agreed to help him. 
Wag was to receive a ruby a month for his services, 
for the gnome still had a large bag of precious stones, 
which he had brought from the old Kingdom. After 
the bargain with Wag was made, the passage pro- 
gressed rapidly, for the rabbit was an expert digger. 

It was Ruggedo’s idea to tunnel himself out a secret 
chamber, directly under Ozma’s palace, and there 
establish a kingdom of his own. But when they had 
almost reached the spot, the earth began to crumble 
away, and a few strokes of Ruggedo’s spade revealed 
a great dark cavern, already tunneled by someone 
else. It was huge and the exact shape of the royal 
palace. This Ruggedo discovered by careful measure- 
87 


Kabumpo in Oz 


ment, and also that it was directly beneath the gor- 
geous green edifice, so that the footsteps of the 
servants could be heard faintly, pattering to and fro. 

This dark, underground retreat suited the former 
Gnome King exactly and, without stopping to wonder 
to whom it had belonged, Ruggedo gleefully took pos- 
session. For almost two years he had lived here with- 
out anyone suspecting it, but so far his kingdom had 
not progressed very well. Wag had tried to coax some 
of his rabbit relations to serve the old gnome as sub- 
jects, but Ruggedo, besides his terrible temper, had a 
mean habit of pulling their ears, so that the whole 
crew had deserted the first week. He had pulled 
Wag’s ears once, but the rabbit tore out a pawful of 
his whiskers, and bit him so severely in the leg that 
Ruggedo had never dared to try it again. 

Wag had stayed partly because Ruggedo amused 
him and partly because of the bribes, for every day, 
in fear of losing his only retainer, Ruggedo brought 
Wag something from the Emerald City — something 
he had stolen! In return, Wag waited on the bad little 
gnome and listened to his grumblings against every- 
body in Oz. All the furnishings of this strange cave 
had been stolen from various houses in the Emerald 
City. The twenty-seven brocade cushions had been 
88 


Chapter Six 


taken, one at a time from the palace; the green emer- 
ald lamp also. Every day Ruggedo ran innocently 
about the city, pretending to visit this one and that, 
and every day cups, spoons, and candlesticks disap- 
peared. 

The doll’s rocker, which Ruggedo insisted upon call- 
ing his throne, had been taken from Betsy Bobbin, a 
little girl who lived with Ozma in the palace. He had 
lugged it through the secret passage with great dif- 
ficulty. The wooden doll had been stolen from Trot, 
another of Ozma’s companions. She was Trot’s favor- 
ite doll, for she had been carved out of wood by Cap- 
tain Bill, an old one-legged sailor, who was one of the 
most celebrated characters in all Oz. He had carved 
her for Trot one day when they were on a picnic in the 
Winkie Country, from the wood of a small yellow tree, 
and as Captain Bill had old-fashioned notions, Peg was 
a very old-fashioned doll. But she had splendid joints 
and could sit down and stand up. Her face was 
painted and as pleasant as laughing blue eyes, a 
tumed-up nose, and a smiling mouth could make it. 
Trot had dressed her in a funny, old-fashioned dress, 
with pantalettes, and then, thinking Peg too short a 
name, the little girl had added Amy, because she was 
so amiable, she confided laughingly to the old sailor. 

89 


Kabumpo in Oz 


Captain Bill had wagged his head understanding^, 
and Peg Am y had straightway become the most popu- 
lar doll in the palace; that is, until she disappeared, 
for Ruggedo had found her one day in the garden and, 
chuckling wickedly, had carried her off to his cave. 

How Trot would have felt if she had seen her poor 
doll being shaken and scolded by the old Gnome King I 
But Trot never knew. She hunted and hunted for her 
doll, and finally gave up in despair. Fortunately, Peg 
was well made, or she would have been shaken to bits, 
but her joints held bravely, and nothing — not even 
the terrible scolding of the bad old gnome — could 
change her pleasant expression. 

Being the sole subject of so wicked a King, however, 
was wearing even for a wooden doll, and Peg was 
beginning to show signs of wear. Her nose was badly 
chipped, one pantalette was missing, and both sleeves 
had been jerked from her dress by the furious old 
gnome. If the rabbit was around, Ruggedo did not 
shake Peg as hard as he wanted to, but when the rabbit 
was gone, he pretended she was his old steward, Kal- 
iko, and scolded and flung her about to his heart’s 
content. 

When not carving his history or shaking Peg, Rug- 
gedo had spent most of his time digging new tunnels 
90 


Chapter Six 


and chambers, so that leading off from the main cavern 
was a perfect network of underground passages. In 
the back of Ruggedo’s head was a notion that some 
day he would conquer the Emerald City, regain his 
magic powers and then, after changing all the inhab- 
itants to mouldy muffins, return to his dominions and 
oust Kaliko from his throne. Just how this was to 
be done, he had not decided, but the secret passages 
would be useful. So meanwhile he dug secret 
passages. 

Above ground the little rascal went about so meekly 
and pretended to be so delighted with his life among 
the inhabitants of the Emerald City, that Ozma really 
thought he had reformed. Wag, to whom he confided 
his plans, would shake his head gloomily and often 
planned to leave the services of the wicked old gnome. 
There was no real harm in Wag, but the rabbit had a 
weakness for collecting, and the spoons, cups and odds 
and ends that Ruggedo brought him from the Emerald 
City filled him with delight. He felt that they were 
not gotten honestly, but his work for Ruggedo was 
honest and hard, “and it’s not my fault if the old 
scrabble-scratch steals ’em,” Wag would mumble to 
himself. In his heart he knew that he was doing 
wrong to stay with Ruggedo, but like all foolish crea- 
91 


Kabumpo in Oz 


tures he could not make up his mind to go. So this 
very night, while the old gnome sat playing the accor- 
dion and howling doleful snatches of the Gnome Na- 
tional Air, Wag was gloating over his treasures. They 
quite filled his little dug-out room. There were two 
emerald plates, a gold pencil, a dozen china cups and 
saucers, twenty thimbles stolen from the work bas- 
kets of the good dames of Oz, scraps of silk, pictures 
and almost everything you could imagine. 

“I’ll soon have enough to marry and go to house- 
keeping on,” murmured the rabbit, clasping his paws 
and twitching his nose very fast. He picked up a 
pair of purple wool socks that had once belonged to a 
little girl’s doll and regarded them rapturously. Out 
of all the articles Ruggedo had given him, Wag con- 
sidered these purple socks the most valuable, perhaps 
because they exactly fitted him and were the only 
things he could really use. The squeaking of the accor- 
dion stopped at last and, supposing his wicked little 
master had retired for the night, Wag prepared to 
enjoy himself. Draping a green silk scarf over his 
shoulders, he strutted before the mirror, pretending he 
was a Courtier of Oz. Then, throwing down the scarf, 
he sat down on the floor and had just drawn on one 
of the socks when a loud shrill scream from Ruggedo 
92 


Chapter Six 



made his ears stand straight on end in amazement. 

“What now?” coughed the rabbit, seizing the can- 
dle. Ruggedo was on his knees before the rocking 
chair. 

“As I was sitting here, playing and singing,” splut- 


tered the old gnome, “I noticed a little ring in one of 
the rocks on the floor!” 

“Well, what of it?” sniffed Wag, leaning down to 
pull up his sock. 

“What of it?” shrieked the gnome. “What of it, 
you poor, puny earth worm! Look!” Leaning over 



Kabumpo in Oz 


Ruggedo’s shoulder and dropping hot candle grease 
down the gnome’s neck, Wag peered into a square 
opening in the floor. There lay a small gold box. 
Studded in gems on the lid were these words: 


Glegg’s Box of Mixed Magic. 


“Mixed magicl” stuttered Wag, dropping the can- 
dle. “Oh, my socks and soup spoons!” 

Ruggedo said nothing, but his little red eyes blazed 
maliciously. Reaching down, he lifted out the box 
and, clasping it to his fat little stomach, shook his fist 
at the high domed ceiling of the cave. 

“Now!” hissed Ruggedo triumphantly. “Now we 
shall see what mixed magic will do to the Emerald 
City of Oz!” 


94 




Chapter 7 

Sir Hokus And The Giants 

“/^VH!” sighed Sir Hokus of Pokes and Oz, stretching 
his armored legs to the fire. “How I yearn to 
slay a giant! How it would refresh me! Hast any real 
giants in Oz, Dorothy?” 

“Don’t you remember the candy giant?” laughed 
the little girl, looking up from the handkerchief she 
was making for Ozma. 


95 



Kabumpo in Oz 


“Not to my taste,” said the Knight, “though his vest 
buttons were vastly nourishing. ” 

“Well, there’s Mr. Yoop — he’s a real blood-and- 
bone giant. There are plenty of giants, I guess, if we 
knew just where to find them!” said the little girl, 
biting off her thread. 

“ Find ’em — bind ’em, 

Get behind ’em! 

Hokus Pokus 
He don’t mind ’em! ” 

screamed the Patch Work Girl, bounding out of her 
chair. “But why can’t you stay peaceably at home, 
old Iron Sides, and be jolly like the rest of us?” 

“You don’t understand, Scraps,” put in Dorothy 
gravely. “Sir Hokus is a Knight and it is a true 
Knight’s duty to slay giants and dragons and go on 
quests!” 

“That it is, my Lady Patches !” boomed Sir Hokus, 
puffing out his chest. “I’ve rusted here in idleness 
long enough. To-morrow, with Ozma’s permission, I 
shall start on a giant quest. ” 

“I’d go with you, only I’ve promised to help Ozma 
count the royal emeralds,” said the Scarecrow, who 
had ridden over from his Corn-Ear residence to spend 
96 


Chapter Seven 


a week with his old friends in the Emerald City. 

“ Giants, Sir, are bluff and rude 
And might mistake a man for food! 

Hokus Pokus, be discreet, 

Or you will soon be giant meat! ” 

chuckled the Patch Work Girl, crooking her finger 
under the Knight’s nose. 

“Nonsense!” blustered Sir Hokus, waving Scraps 
aside. Rising from his green arm chair, he strode up 
and down the room, his armor clanking at every step. 
Straightway the company began to tell about wild 
giants they had read of or known. Trot and Betsy 
Bobbin held hands as they sat together on the sofa, and 
Toto, Dorothy’s small dog, crept closer to his little 
mistress, the bristles on his back rising higher as each 
story was finished. “Giant stories are all very well, 
but why tell ’em at night?” shivered Toto, peering 
nervously at the long shadows in the comers of the 
room. 

It was the evening after Ruggedo’s strange discov- 
ery of the mixed magic and in the royal palace Ozma 
and most of the Courtiers had retired. But a few of 
Princess Dorothy’s special friends had gathered in the 
cozy sitting-room of her apartment to talk about old 
97 


Kabumpo in Oz 


times. They were very unusual and interesting 
friends, not at all the sort one would expect to find in 
a royal palace, even in Fairyland. Dorothy, herself, 
before she had become a Princess of Oz, had been a 
little girl from Kansas but, after several visits to this 
delightful country, she had preferred to make Oz her 
home. 

Trot and Betsy Bobbin also had come from the 
United States by way of shipwrecks, so to speak, and 
had been invited to remain by Ozma, the little fairy 
Princess who ruled Oz, and now each of these girls 
had a cozy little apartment in the royal palace. Toto 
had come with Dorothy, but the rest of the company 
were of more or less magic extraction. 

The Scarecrow, a stuffed straw person, with a mar- 
velous set of mixed brains given to him by the Wizard 
of Oz, was Dorothy’s favorite. In fact she had dis- 
covered him herself upon a Munchkin farm, lifted him 
down from his bean pole and brought him to the 
Emerald City. Tik Tok was a wonderful man made 
entirely of copper, who could talk, think and act as 
well as the next fellow when properly wound. You 
would have been amazed to hear the giant story he 
was ticking off at this very minute. As for Scraps, 
she had been made by a magician’s wife out of old 
98 



Just to Look at Scraps Tickled One’s Funny Bone 


Kabumpo in Oz 


pieces of patch-work and magically brought to life. 
Her bright patches, yam hair and silver suspender 
button eyes gave Scraps so comical an expression that 
just to look at her tickled one’s funny bone. Her head 
was full of nonsense rhymes and she was so amusing 
and cheerful that Ozma insisted upon her living with 
the rest of the celebrities in the Emerald City. 

Sir Hokus of Pokes was a comparative new-comer 
in the capital city of Oz. Yet the Knight was so old 
that it would give me lumbago just to try to count up 
his birthdays. He dated back to King Arthur, in fact, 
and had been wished into the Land of Oz centuries 
before by an enemy sorcerer. Dorothy had found and 
rescued him, with the Cowardly Lion’s help, from 
Pokes, the dullest Kingdom in Oz. As there were no 
other Knights in the Emerald City, Sir Hokus was 
much stared at and admired. Even the Soldier with 
the Green Whiskers, the one and only soldier and 
entire army of Oz — yes, even the soldier with the 
Green Whiskers saluted Sir Hokus when he passed. 
Ozma, herself, felt more secure since the Knight had 
come to live in the palace. He was well versed in 
adventure and always courageous and courteous, 
withal. 

But, while I’ve been telling you all this, Tik Tok 
100 


Chapter Seven 


had finished his story of a three-legged giant who 
lived in Ev. 

“And where is Ev?” puffed Sir Hokus, planting 
himself before Tik Tok. 

“Ev,” began Tik Tok in his precise fashion, “is to 
the north-west of here on the oth-er side of the 
im — ” There was a whirr and a click and the copper 
man stood motionless and soundless, his round eyes 
fixed solemnly on the Knight. 

“Pass-able des-ert,” finished the Scarecrow, jump- 
ing up and kindly winding all of Tik Tok’s keys as if 
nothing had happened. 

“Pass-able des-ert,” continued the Copper Man. 

“That’s where the old Gnome King used to live,” 
piped Betsy Bobbin, bouncing up and down upon the 
sofa, “under the mountains of Ev, and he threw us 
down a tube and tried to melt you in a crueible, 
didn’t he, Tik Tok?” 

“He wasave-ry bad per-son,” said the Copper Man. 

“ Ruggedo was a wicked King, 

Tho’ now he’s good as pie, 

But none the less, I must confess, 

He has a wicked eye ! ” 

burst out Scraps, who was tired of sitting still listen- 
ing to giant stories. 


101 


Kabumpo in Oz 


But Sir Hokus could not be got off the subject of 
giants. “To Ev!” thundered the Knight, raising his 
sword. “To-morrow I’m off to Ev to conquer this 
terrible monster. Large as a mountain, you say, Tik 
Tok? Well, what care I for mountains? I, Sir Hokus 
of Pokes, will slay him 1” 

“Hurrah for the giant killer!” giggled Scraps, 
turning a somersault and nearly falling in the fire. 

“Let’s go to bed!” said Dorothy uneasily. She had 
for the last few minutes been hearing strange rumbles. 
Of course it could not be giants; still the conversation, 
she concluded, had better be finished by sunlight. 

But it never was, for at that moment there was a 
deafening crash. The lights went out; the whole 
castle shivered; furniture fell every which way. Down 
clattered Sir Hokus, falling with a terrible clangor 
on top of the Copper Man. Down rolled the little girls 
and the Scarecrow and Scraps. Down tumbled 
everybody. 

“Cyclone!” gasped Dorothy, who had experienced 
several in Kansas. 

“Giants!” stuttered Betsy Bobbin, clutching Trot. 

The Wizard of Oz tried to reassure the agitated 
company. He told them there was no cause for alarm, 
and that they would soon find out what was the trouble. 

102 



The Smiling Little Wizard op Oz 


Kabumpo in Oz 


The soothing words of the Wizard were scarcely 
heard. 

What the others said was lost in the noise that fol- 
lowed. Thumps — bangs — crashes — screams came 
from every room in the rocking palace. 

“We’re flying! The whole castle’s flying up in the 
air!” screamed Dorothy. Then she subsided, as an 
emerald clock and three pictures came thumping 
down on her head. 

What had happened? No one could say. Dorothy, 
Betsy Bobbin and Trot had fainted dead away. The 
Scarecrow and Sir Hokus were tangled up on the 
floor, clasped in each other’s arms. 

The confusion was terrific. Only the Wizard was 
still calm and smiling. 


104 


#‘5 



The Grand Army sprang upon the back of the Saw Horse — Page 108 




Chapter 8 

Woe In The Emerald City 

T HE Soldier with the Green Whiskers finished his 
breakfast slowly, combed his beard, pinned on all 
of his medals and solemnly issued forth from his little 
house at the garden gates. 

“Forward march!” snapped the soldier. He had to 
give himself orders, being the only man, general or 
private in the army. And forward march he did. It 
105 


Kabumpo in Oz 


was his custom to report to Ozma every morning to 
receive his orders for the day. When he had gone 
through the little patch of trees that separated his 
cottage from the palace, the Soldier with the Green 
Whiskers gave a great leap. 

“Halt! Break ranks!” roared the Grand Army of 
Oz, clutching his beard in terror. “Great Goloshes!” 
He rubbed his eyes and looked again. Yes, the gor- 
geous emerald-studded palace had disappeared, 
leaving not so much as a gold brick to tell where it 
had stood. Trembling in every knee, the Grand Army 
of Oz approached. A great black hole, the exact shape 
of the palace, yawned at his feet. He took one look 
down that awful cavity, then shot through the palace 
gardens like a green comet. 

Like Paul Revere he had gone to give the alarm, 
and Paul Revere himself never made better time. He 
thumped on windows and banged on doors and dashed 
through the sleeping city like a whirlwind. In five 
minutes there was not a man, woman or child who did 
not know of the terrible calamity. They rushed to the 
palace gardens in a panic. Some stared up in the air; 
others peered down the dark hole; still others ran 
about wildly trying to discover some trace of the 
missing castle. 


106 


Chapter Eight 

“ What shall we do?” they wailed dismally. For to 
have their lovely little Queen and the Wizard and all 
the most important people in Oz disappear at once 
was simply terrifying. They were a gentle and kindly 
folk, used to obeying orders, and now there was no one 
to tell them what to do. 

At last Unk Nunkie, an old Munchkin who had 
taken up residence in the Emerald City, pushed 
through the crowd. Unk was a man of few words, 
but a wise old chap for all that, so they made way for 
him respectfully. First Unk Nunkie stroked his 
beard; then pointing with his long lean finger toward 
the south he snapped out one word — “GLINDA!” 

Of course! They must tell Glinda. Why had they 
not thought of it themselves? Glinda would know just 
what to do and how to do it. Three cheers for Unk 
Nunkie! Glinda, you know, is the good Sorceress of 
Oz, who knows more magic than anyone in the King- 
dom, but who only practices it for the people’s good. 
Indeed, Glinda and the Wizard of Oz are the only 
ones permitted to practice magic, for so much harm 
had come of it that Ozma made a law forbidding 
sorcery in all of its branches. But even in a fairy 
country people do not always obey the laws and every- 
one felt that magic was at the bottom of this disaster. 

107 


Kabumpo in Oz 


So away to fetch Glinda dashed the Grand Army, 
his green whiskers streaming behind him. Fortu- 
nately the royal stables had not disappeared with the 
palace, so the gallant army sprang upon the back of 
the Saw Horse, and without stopping to explain to the 
other royal beasts, bade it carry him to Glinda as fast 
as it could gallop. Being made of wood with gold shod 
feet and magically brought to life, the Saw Horse can 
run faster than any animal in Oz. It never tired or 
needed food and when it understood that the palace 
and its dear little Mistress had disappeared it fairly 
flew; for the Saw Horse loved Ozma with all its saw 
diist and was devoted as only a wooden beast can be. 

In an hour they had reached Glinda’s shining marble 
palace in the southern part of the Quadling country, 
and as soon as the lovely Sorceress had heard the sol- 
dier’s story, she hurried to the magic Book of Records. 
This is the most valuable book in Oz and it is kept 
padlocked with many golden chains to a gold table, 
for in this great volume appear all the events happen- 
ing in and out of the world. 

Now, Glinda had been so occupied trying to discover 
the cause of frowns that she had not referred to the 
book for several days and naturally there were many 
pages to go over. There were hundreds of entries 
108 


Chapter Eight 


concerning automobile accidents in the United States 
and elsewhere. These Glinda passed over hurriedly, 
till she came to three sentences printed in red, for Oz 
news always appeared in the book in red letters. The 
first sentence did not seem important. It merely stated 
that the Prince of Pumperdink was journeying toward 



the Emerald City. The other two entries seemed 
serious. 


“ Glegg’s box of Mixed Magic has been discovered,” 
said the second, and “Ruggedo has something on his 
mind ,” stated the third. Glinda pored over the book 
for a long time to see whether any more information 
would be given but not another red sentence appeared. 

109 






Chapter Eight 


With a sigh, Glinda turned to the Soldier with the 
Green Whiskers. 

“The old Gnome King must be mixed up in this,” 
she said anxiously, “and as he was last seen in the 
Emerald City, I will return with you at once.” So 
Glinda and the Soldier with the Green Whiskers flew 
back to the Emerald City drawn in Glinda’s chariot 
by swift flying swans and the little Saw Horse trotted 
baek by himself. When they reached the gardens a 
great crowd had gathered by the Fountain of Oblivion 
and a tall green grocer was speaking excitedly. 

“What is it?” asked Glinda, shuddering as she 
passed the dreadful hole where Ozma’s lovely palace 
had once stood. Everyone started explaining at once 
so that Glinda was obliged to clap her hands for 
silence. 

“Foot print!” Unk Nunkie stood upon his tip toes 
and whispered it in Glinda’s ear and when she looked 
where Unk pointed she saw a huge, shallow cave-in 
that crushed the flower beds for as far as she could 
see. 

“Foot print!” gasped Glinda in amazement. 

“Uh huh!” Unk Nunkie wagged his head deter- 
minedly and then, pulling his hat down over his eyes, 
spoke his last word on the subject: “GIANT!” 
ill 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“A giant foot print! Why so it is!” cried Glinda. 

“What shall we do? What shall we do?” cried the 
frightened inhabitants of the Emerald City, wringing 
their hands. 

“First, find Ruggedo,” ordered Glinda, suddenly 
remembering the mysterious entry in the Book of 
Records. So, away to the little cottage hurried the 
crowd. They searched it from cellar to garret, but 
of course found no trace of the wicked little gnome. 
As no one knew about the secret passage in Ruggedo’s 
cellar, they never thought of searching underground. 

Meanwhile Glinda sank down on one of the golden 
garden benches and tried to think. The Comfortable 
Camel stumbled broken-heartedly across the lawn and 
dropping on its knees begged the Sorceress in a tearful 
voice to save Sir Hokus of Pokes. The Camel and the 
Doubtful Dromedary had been discovered by the 
Knight on his last adventure and were deeply attached 
to him. Soon all the palace pets came and stood in a 
dejected row before Glinda — Betsy’s mule, Hank, 
hee-hawing dismally and the Hungry Tiger threaten- 
ing to eat everyone in sight if any harm came to the 
three little girls. 

“I doubt if we’ll ever see them again,” groaned the 
Doubtful Dromedary, leaning up against a tree. 

112 


Chapter Eight 


“Oh Doubty — how can you?” wailed the Camel, 
tears streaming down its nose. 

“Please do be quiet,” begged Glinda, “or I’ll forget 
all the magic I know. Let me see, now — how does 
one catch a marauding giant who has run off with a 
castle?” 

On her fingers Glinda counted up all the giants in 
the four countries of Oz. No! It could not be an Oz 
giant; there was none large enough. It must be a 
giant from some strange country. 

When the crowd returned with the news that 
Ruggedo had disappeared Glinda felt more uneasy 
still. But hiding her anxiety she bade the people 
return to their homes and continue their work and 
play as usual. Then, promising to return that evening 
with a plan to save the castle, and charging the Soldier 
with the Green Whiskers to keep a strict watch in the 
garden, Glinda stepped into her chariot and flew back 
to the South. All that day, in her palace in the Quad- 
ling country, Glinda bent over her encyclopedia on 
giants, and far into the night the lights burned from 
her high turret-chamber, as she consulted book after 
book of magic. 


113 



Chapter 9 


Mixed Magic Makes Mischief 

T HE Book of Records had been perfectly correct in 
stating that Ruggedo had something on his mind. 
He had! To understand the mysterious disappearance 
of Ozma’s palace, we must go back to the old Ex-King 
of the Gnomes. The whole of the night after he had 
found Glegg’s box of Mixed Magic, Ruggedo had 
spent trying to open the box. But pry and poke as he 
114 


Chapter Nine 

would it stubbornly refused to give up its secrets. 

“Better come to bed,” advised Wag, twitching his 
nose nervously. “Mixed Magic isn’t safe, you know. 
It might explode. ” 

“Idiot!” grumbled Ruggedo. “I don’t know who 
Glegg is or was, but I’m going to find out what kind of 
magic he mixes. I’m going to open this box if it takes 
me a century.” 

“All right,” quavered Wag, retiring backward apd 
holding up his paw. “All right, but remember I 
warned you! Don’t meddle with magic, that’s my 
motto!” 

“I don’t care a harebell what your motto is,” 
sneered the gnome, continuing to hammer on the gold 
lid. 

When he reached his room, Wag shut the door and 
sank dejectedly upon the edge of the bed. 

“There’s no manner of use trying to stop him,” 
sighed the rabbit, “so I’ve got to get out of here before 
he gets me into trouble. I’ll go to-morrow!” resolved 
Wag, pulling his long ear nervously. With this good 
resolution, the little rabbit drooped off asleep. 

Very cautiously he opened the door of his little rock- 
room next morning. Ruggedo was sound asleep on 
the floor, his Bead on the magic box, and Peg Amy, 
115 


Kabumpo in Oz 


with her wooden arms and legs flung out in every di- 
rection, lay sprawled in a comer. 

“Been shaking you again, the old scrabble-scratch!” 
whispered the rabbit indignantly, “just ’cause he 
couldn’t open that box. Well, never mind, Peg, Pm 
leaving to-day and as surely as I’ve ears and whiskers 
you shall go too!” Picking up the poor wooden doll 
Wag tucked her under his arm. Was it imagination, 
or did the little wooden face break into a s unn y smile? 
It seemed so to Wag and, with a real thrill of pleasure, 
he tip-toed back to his room and began tossing his 
treasures into one of the bed sheets. He seated Peg 
in his own small rocking chair and from time to time 
he nodded to her reassuringly. 

“We’ll soon be out now, my dear,” he chuckled, 
quite as if Peg had been alive. She often did seem 
alive to Wag. “Then we’ll see what Ozma has to say 
to this Mixed Magic,” continued the bunny, wiggling 
his ears indignantly. And so occupied was he collect- 
ing his treasures that he did not hear Ruggedo’s call 
and next minute the angry gnome himself stood in the 
doorway. 

“What does this mean?” he cried furiously, pointing 
to the tied up sheet. Then he stamped his foot so hard 
that Peg Amy fell over sideways in the chair and all 
116 


Chapter Nine 

the ornaments in the room skipped as if alive. 

The rabbit whirled ’round in a hurry. 

“It means I’m leaving you for good, you wicked lit- 
tle monster!” shrilled Wag, his whiskers trembling 
with agitation and his ears sticking straight out 
behind. “ Leaving — do you hear?” 

Then he snatched Peg Amy in one paw and his 
treasures in the other and tried to brush past Ruggedo. 
But the gnome was too quick for him. Springing out 
of the room, he slammed the door and locked it. Wag 
could hear him rolling up rocks for further security. 

“Thought you’d steal a march on old Ruggedo; 
thought you’d tell Ozma all his plans and get a nice 
little reward! Well, think again!” shouted the gnome 
through the keyhole. 

Wag had plenty of time to think, for Ruggedo never, 
came near the rabbit’s room all day. At every sound 
poor Wag leaped into the air, for he felt sure each 
blow could only mean the opening of the dreaded 
magic box. To reassure himself he held long conver- 
sations with the wooden doll and Peg’s calm cheerful- 
ness steadied him a lot. 

“I might dig my way out but it would take so long! 
My ear tips! How provoking it is!” exclaimed Wag. 
“But perhaps he’ll relent by nightfall!” Slowly the 
117 


Kabumpo in Oz 



day dragged on but nothing came from the big rock 
room but thumps, grumbles and bangs. 

“It is fortunate that you do not eat, Peg, dear,” 
sighed the rabbit late in the afternoon, nibbling dis- 
consolately on a stale biscuit he had found under his 


bureau. “Shall you care very much if I starve? I 
probably shall, you know. Of course no one in Oz can 
die, but starving forever is not comfortable either.” At 
this the wooden doll seemed to shake her head, as much 
as to say: “You won’t starve, Wag dear; just be 
patient a little longer. ” Not that she really said this, 
118 


Chapter Nine 

mind you, but Wag knew from her smile that this is 
what she was thinking. 

It was hot and stuffy in the little rock chamber and 
the faint light that filtered down from the hole in the 
ceiling was far from cheerful. At last night came, and 
that was worse. Wag lit his only candle but it was 
already partly burned down and soon with a dismal 
sputter it went out and left the two sitting in the dark. 
Peg Amy stared cheerfully ahead but the rabbit, worn 
out by his long day of fright and worry, fell into a 
heavy slumber. 

Meanwhile Ruggedo had worked on the magic box 
and every minute he became more impatient. All his 
poundings failed to make even a dent on the gold lid 
and even jumping on it brought no result. The little 
gnome had eaten nothing since morning and by night- 
fall he was stamping around the box in a perfect fury. 
His eyes snapped and twinkled like live coals and his 
wispy white hair fairly crackled with rage. Hidden 
in this box were magic secrets that would doubtless 
enable him to capture the whole of Oz but, Mumping 
kalo&gas, how was he to get at ’em? He finally gave 
the gold box such a vindictive kick that he almost 
crushed his curly toes; then holding onto one foot, he 
hopped about on the other till he fell over exhausted. 

119 



Kabumpo in Oz 


and sailed straight back into Ruggedo’s hands and, 
more wonderful still, it was open! With his eyes al- 
most popping from his head, the gnome sat down on 
the floor, the box in his lap. 

In the first tray were four golden flasks and each 
one was carefully labeled. The first was marked, 
120 


For several minutes he lay perfectly still; then 
jumping up he seized the box and flung it with all his 
gnome might against the rock wall. 

“Take that!” screamed Ruggedo furiously. There 
was a bright flash; then the box righted itself slowly 



The royal palace of Oz impaled fast on the spikes of Ruggedo’s giant 

head — Page 129 







































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Kabumpo in Oz 

“Flying Fluid”; “Vanishing Cream” was in the second. 
The third flask held “Clegg’s Instantaneous Expand- 
ing Extract,” and in the fourth was “Spike’s Hair 
Strengthened ” 

Ruggedo rubbed his hands gleefully and lifted out 
the top tray. In the next compartment was a tiny 
copper kettle, a lamp and a package marked “Triple 
Trick Tea.” So anxious was Ruggedo to know what 
was in the last compartment that he scarcely glanced 
at Clegg’s tea set. Quickly he peered into the bottom 
of the casket. There were two boxes. Taking up the 
first Ruggedo read, “Clegg’s Question Box. Shake 
three times after each question. ” 

“Creat Crampus!” spluttered the gnome, “this is 
a find!” He was growing more excited every minute 
and his hands shook so he could hardly read the label 
on the last box. Finally he made it out: “Re-animat- 
ing Rays, guaranteed to reawaken any person who has 
lost the power of life through sorcery, witchcraft or 
enchantment, ” said the label. 

Well, did anyone ever hear anything more magic 
than that? Ruggedo glanced from one to the other of 
the little gold flasks and boxes. There were so many 
he hardly knew which to use first. “Flying Fluid and 
Vanishing Cream,” mused the gnome. Well, they 
121 


Kabumpo in Oz 


might help after he had captured Oz, but he felt it 
would take more powerful magic than Flying Fluid 
and Vanishing Cream to capture the fairy Kingdom. 
Next he picked up the bottle labeled “Spike’s Hair 
Strengthener. ” Anything that strengthened would 



be helpful, so, with one eye on the last bottle, Euggedo 
absently rubbed some of the hair strengthener on his 
head. He stopped rubbing in a hurry and put his 
finger in his mouth with a howl of pain. Then he 
jumped up in alarm and ran to a small mirror hanging 
122 


Chapter Nine 


on the wall. Every hair on his head had become an 
iron spike and the result was so terrible that it fright- 
ened even the old gnome. He flung the bottle angrily 
on the ground. But stop! He could butt his enemies 
with the sharp spikes! Comforting himself with this 
cheerful thought, Ruggedo returned to the magic 
box. 

“Instantaneous Expanding Extract,” muttered the 
gnome, turning the bottle over carefully. “That ought 
to make me larger — and if I were larger — if I were 
larger!” He snapped his fingers and began hopping 
up and down. He was about to empty the bottle over 
his head when he suddenly reflected that it might be 
safer to try this powerful extract on someone else. 
But on whom? 

Ruggedo glanced quickly around the cave and then 
remembered the wooden doll. He would try a little 
on Peg Amy and see how it worked. Turning the key 
he stepped softly into Wag’s room. Without waken- 
ing the rabbit, Ruggedo dragged out the wooden doll. 
Propping her up against the wall, the gnome uncorked 
the bottle of expanding fluid and dropped two drops 
on Peg Amy’s head. Peg was about ten inches high, 
but no sooner had the expanding fluid touched her 
than she shot up four feet and with such force that she 
123 


Kabumpo in Oz 


lost her balance and came crashing down on top of 
Ruggedo, almost crushing him flat. 

“Get off, you great log of wood!” screamed the 
gnome, struggling furiously. But this Peg Amy was 
powerless to do and it was only after a frightful 



struggle that Ruggedo managed to drag himself out. 
He started to shake Peg but as she was now four 
times his size he soon gave that up. 

“Well, anyway it works,” sighed the gnome, rub- 
bing his nose and the middle of his back. “I wonder 
how it would act on a live person? Fll try a little on 
124 


Chapter Nine 

that silly rabbit, ” he concluded, tip-toeing back into 
Wag’s room. Now Wag’s apartment was about seven 
feet square — plenty large enough for a regular rab- 
bit — but two drops of the expanding fluid — and, stars! 
Wag was no longer a regular rabbit but a six-foot 
funny bunny, stretching from one end of the room to 
the other. He expanded without even waking up. 
Ruggedo had to squeeze past him in order to get out 
and, chuckling with satisfaction, the gnome hurried 
back to his box of magic. His mind was now made up. 
He would take Glegg’s Mixed Magic under his arm, 
go above ground and with the Expanding Fluid 
change himself into a giant. Then conquering Oz 
would be a simple matter. 

It was all going to be so easy and amusing that 
Ruggedo felt he had plenty of time to examine the 
rest of the bottles and boxes. He rubbed some of the 
Vanishing Cream on a sofa cushion and it instantly 
disappeared. The box of Re-animating Rays, guar- 
anteed to reawaken anyone from enchantment, inter- 
ested the old gnome immensely, but how could he try 
them when there was no bewitched person about — at 
least none that he knew of? Then his eye fell on the 
Question Box. Why not try that? So, “How shall I 
use the Re-animating Rays?” asked Ruggedo, shaking 
125 


Kabumpo in Oz 


the box three times. Nothing happened at first. Then, 
by the light from his emerald lamp, the gnome saw a 
sentence forming on the lid. 

“Try them on Peg,” said the box shortly. Without 
thinking of consequences or wondering what the 
Question Box meant by suggesting Peg, the curious 
gnome opened the box of rays and held it over the 
huge wooden doll. For as long as it would take to 
count ten Peg lay perfectly still. Then, with a creak 
and jerk, she sprang to her feet. 

“How perfectly pomiferous!” cried Peg Amy, with 
an awkward jump. “I’m alive! Why, Pm alive all 
over!” She moved one arm, then the other and 
turned her head stiffly from side to side. “I can 
walk!” cried Peg. “I can walk; I can skip; I can 
run!” Here Peg began running around the cave, her 
joints squeaking merrily at every step. 

At Peg’s first move Buggedo had jumped back of a 
rock, his every spike standing on end. Too late he 
realized his mistake. This huge wooden creature clat- 
tering around the cave was positively dangerous. 
Why, she might easily pound him to bits. Why on 
earth had he meddled with the magic rays and why 
under the earth should a wooden doll come to life? 
He waited till Peg had run to the farthest end of the 
126 


Chapter Nine 


cave; then he dashed to the magic casket and scram- 
bled the bottles, the Trick Tea Set and the flasks back 
into place and started for the door that led to the 
secret passage as fast as his crooked little legs would 
carry him. 

But he was not fast enough, for Peg heard and like 
a flash was after him. 

“Stop! Go away!” screamed Ruggedo. 

“Why, it’s the old gnome!” cried the Wooden Doll 
in surprise. “The wicked old gnome who used to 
shake me all the time. Why, how small he is! I could 
pick him up with one hand!” She made a snatch at 
Ruggedo. 

“Go away!” shrieked Ruggedo, ducking behind a 
rock. “ Go away — there’s a dear girl, ” he added coax- 
ingly. “I didn’t shake you much — not too much, you 
know!” 

Peg Amy put a wooden finger to her forehead and 
regarded him attentively. 

“I remember,” she murmured thoughtfully. “You 
found a magic box, and you’re going to harm Ozma 
and try to conquer Oz. I must get that box!” 

Reaching around the rock she seized Ruggedo by 
the arm. 

In a panic, he jerked away. “Help! Help!” cried 


Kabumpo in Oz 


the gnome King, darting off toward the other end of 
the cave. “Help! Help!” 

In his little rock room Wag stirred uneasily. Then, 
as Ruggedo’s cries grew louder, he bounced erect and 
almost cracked his skull on the low ceiling. Hardly 
knowing what he was doing he rushed at the door only 
to knock himself almost senseless against the top, for 
of course he did not realize he had expanded into a 
giant rabbit. But as the cries from the other room 
became louder and louder he got up and rubbing his 
head in a dazed fashion he somehow crowded himself 
through the door and hopped into the cave. When he 
saw Peg Amy chasing Ruggedo, Wag fell back against 
the wall. 

“My wocks and hoop soons!” stuttered the rabbit. 
“She is alive! And he’s shrunk!” 

Wag’s voice rose triumphantly. “ Pm going to 
pound his curly toes off!” he shouted. With this he 
joined merrily in the chase. 

“I’ll catch him !” he called, “Pll catch him, Peg, my 
dear, and make him pay for all the shakings he has 
given you. “Pll pound his curly toes off!” 

“Oh, Wag! Don’t do that,” cried the Wooden Doll, 
stopping short. “I didn’t mind the shakings and 
gnomes don’t know any better!” 

128 


Chapter Nine 


“Neither do rabbits!” cried Wag stubbornly, bound- 
ing after Ruggedo. “Til pound his curly toes off, I 
tell you!” 

The old gnome was sputtering like a firecracker. 
What chance had he now with two after him? Then 
suddenly he had an idea. Without stopping, he fum- 
bled in the box which he still clutched under one arm 
and pulled out the bottle of Expanding Fluid. Un- 
corking the bottle he poured its contents over his 
head — every single drop! 

This is what happened: First he shot out sideways, 
till Peg and Wag were almost crushed against the 
wall. With a hoarse scream Wag dragged Peg Amy 
back into his room, which was now barely large 
enough to hold them. They were just in time, for 
Ruggedo was still spreading. Soon there was not an 
inch of space left to expand in. Then he shot up and 
grew up and grew and grew and groaned and grew 
till there wasn’t any more room to grow in. So, he 
burst through the top of the cave, with a noise like 
fifty boilers exploding. 

No wonder Dorothy thought it was a cyclone! For 
what was on the top of the cave but the royal palace 
of Oz? The next instant it was impaled fast on the 
spikes of Ruggedo’s giant head and shooting up with 
129 


Kabumpo in Oz 

him toward the clouds. And that wretched gnome 
never stopped growing till he was three-quarters of a 
mile high! 

If the people in the palace were frightened, Rug- 
gedo was more frightened still. Being a giant was a 
new experience for him and having a castle jammed 
on his head was worse still. The first thing he tried 
to do, when he stopped growing, was to lift the castle 
off, but his spikes were driven fast into the founda- 
tions and it fitted closer than his scalp. 

In a panic Ruggedo began to run, and when a giant 
runs he gets somewhere. Each step carried him a half 
mile and shook the country below like an earthquake 
and rattled the people in the castle above like pennies 
in a Christmas bank. Shaking with terror and hardly 
knowing why, the gnome made for his old Kingdom, 
and in an hour had reached the little country of 
Oogaboo, which is in the very northwestern corner of 
Oz, opposite his old dominions. 

The Deadly Desert is so narrow at this point that 
with one jump Ruggedo was across and, puffing like 
a volcano about to erupt, he sank down on the highest 
mountain in Ev. Fortunately he had not stepped on 
any cities in his flight, although he had crushed several 
forests and about a hundred fences. 

130 


Chapter Nine 


“Oh, Oh, My head!” groaned Ruggedo, rocking to 
and fro. He seemed to have forgotten all about con- 
quering Oz. He was full of twinges and growing pains. 
Ozma’s castle was giving him a thundering headache, 
and there he sat, a fearsome figure in the bright moon- 
light, moaning and groaning instead of conquering. 

The Book of Records had been right indeed when it 
stated that Ruggedo had something on his mind. 
Ozma’s castle itself sat squarely upon that mischiev- 
ous mind — and every moment it seemed to grow 
heavier. 

No wonder there had been confusion in the castle! 
Every time Ruggedo shook his aching head Ozma and 
her guests were tossed about like leaves in a storm. 
Mixed magic had made mischief indeed. 


131 



Chapter 10 

Peg and Wag To The Rescue 

F OR a long time after the terrific bang following 
Ruggedo’s final expansion, Wag and Peg Amy had 
been too stunned to even move. Crowded together in 
the little rock room, they lay perfectly breathless. 
“Ump thing sappened, ” quavered the rabbit at last. 
“That sounds rather queer, but I think I know what 
you mean,” said Peg, sitting up cautiously. 

132 



Chapter Ten 


“Something has happened. Ruggedo’s been blown 
up, I guess.” 

“Mixed Magic!” groaned Wag gloomily. “I knew 
it would explode. Say, Peg, what makes this room so 
small?” 

“I don’t know,” sighed the doll in a puzzled voice, 
for neither Peg nor Wag realized how much they had 
grown. “But let’s go above ground and see what has 
become of Ruggedo.” One at a time and with great 
difficulty they got through the door. 

“Why, there are the stars!” cried Peg Amy, clasp- 
ing her wooden hands rapturously. “Real stars!” 
The top of the cave had gone off with the old gnome 
King and the two stood looking up at the lovely skies 
of Oz. 

“It doesn’t seem so high as it used to,” said the 
rabbit, looking at the walls. “Why, I believe I could 
jump out if I took a good run and carry you, too. 
Come ashort, Peg!” 

“Aren’t you mixed, Wag dear? Don’t you mean 
come along?” asked Peg, smoothing down her tom 
dress. 

“Well, now that you mention it, my head does feel 
queer,” admitted the rabbit, twitching his nose, “bort 
of saekwards!” 


133 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“ Sort of backwards, ” corrected Peg gently. “Well, 
never mind. I know what you mean. But do let s try 
to find that awful box of magic. You know Ruggedo 
brought me to life, Wag, with something in that box!” 

“Only good thing he ever did,” said Wag, shaking 
his head. “But I think you were alive before,” he 
added solemnly. “You always seemed alive to me.” 

“I think so, too,” whispered Peg excitedly. “I 
can’t remember just how, or where, but Oh! Wag! I 
know I’ve been alive before. I remember dancing.” 

Peg took a few awkward steps and Wag looked on 
dubiously, too polite to criticize her efforts. He didn’t 
even laugh when Peg Amy fell down. Peg laughed 
herself, however, as merrily as possible. “It’s going 
to be such fun being alive,” she said, picking herself 
up gaily, “ such fun, Wag dear. Why, there’s Glegg’s 
box!” She pounced upon the little shining gold cas- 
ket “Ruggedo didn’t take it after all!” 

“Is it shut?” asked Wag, clapping both paws to his 
ears. “Look out for explosions, say L” 

“No, but I’ll soon close it,” said Peg and, shutting 
Glegg’s box, she slipped it into pocket of her dress. 
It was about half the size of this book you are reading 
and as Peg’s pockets were big and old fashioned, it 
fitted quite nicely. 


134 


Chapter Ten 


“Come ashort, ” said Wag again, looking around 
uneasily, for he was anxious to get out of the gnome’s 
eave. So Peg seated herself carefully on his back and 
clasped her wooden arms around his neck. Then Wag 
ran back a few steps, gave a great jump and sailed 
up, up and out of the eave. 

“Ten penny tea cups!” shrieked the Soldier with 
the Green Whiskers, falling over backwards. “What 
next?” For Wag with Peg on his back had leaped 
straight over his head. 

Picking himself up, and with every whisker in his 
beard prickling straight on end, the Grand Army of 
Oz backed toward the royal stable. When he had 
backed half the distance he turned and ran for his 
life. But he need not have been afraid. 

“What a funny little man,” chuckled Wag. “Why, 
he’s no bigger than we are. He’s no — !” Then sud- 
denly Wag clutched his ears. “Oh!” he screamed, 
beginning to hop up and down, “I forgot all my 
treasures — my olden goop soons. Oh! Oh! My urple 
sool wocks! I’ve forgotten my urple sool wocks!” 

“Your what?” cried Peg Amy, clutching him by the 
fur. “Now Wag, dear, you’re all mixed up. Perhaps 
it’s ’cause your ears are crossed. There, now, do stop 
wiggling your whiskers and turn out your toes!” 

135 


Kabumpo in Oz 


But Wag continued to wiggle his whiskers and turn 
in his toes and roar for his urple sool wocks. 

“Stop!” screamed Peg at last, with both hands over 
her wooden ears. “I know what you mean! Your 
purple wool socks!” 



“Yes,” sobbed the rabbit, slumping down on a rock 
and holding his head in both paws. 

“Well, don’t you think” — the Wooden Doll shook 
her head jerkily — “Don’t you think it’s just as well? 
Ruggedo stole all those things and you wouldn’t want 
stolen soup spoons, now would you?” 

136 


Chapter Ten 


Wag took a long breath and regarded Peg uncer- 
tainly. Then something in her pleasant wooden face 
seemed to brace him up. 

“No!” he sighed solemnly — “I ’spose not. I ought 
to have left Rug long ago. ” 

“But then you couldn’t have helped me,” said Peg 
brightly. “Let’s don’t think about it any more. 
You’ve been awfully good to me, Wag.” 

“Have I?” said Wag more cheerfully. “Well, 
you’re a good sort, Peg — a regular Princess!” he fin- 
ished, puffing out his chest, “and anything you say 
goes. ” 

“Princess f ” laughed the Wooden Doll, pleased nev- 
ertheless. “Pm a funny Princess, in this old dress. 
Did you ever hear of a wooden Princess, Wag?” 

“You look like a Princess to me,” said the rabbit 
stoutly. “Dresses don’t matter.” 

This speech so tickled the Wooden Doll that she 
gave Wag a good hug and began dancing again. 
“Being alive is such fun!” she called gaily over her 
shoulder, “and you are so wonderful!” 

Wag’s chest expanded at least three inches and his 
whiskers trembled with emotion. “Hop on my back 
Peg and I’ll take you anywhere you want to go,” he 
puffed magnificently. 


137 


Kabumpo in Oz 


But the Wooden Doll had suddenly grown sober. 
“Wherever is the castle?” she cried anxiously. She 
remembered exactly where it had stood when she was 
an unalive doll and now not a tower or turret of the 
castle was to be seen. “Oh!” groaned Peg Amy, 
“Ruggedo has done something dreadful with his 
Mixed Magic!” 

Wag rubbed his eyes and looked all around. “Why, 
it’s gone!” he cried, waving his paws. “What shall we 
do? If only we weren’t so small!” 

“We’ve got the magic box,” said Peg hopefully, 
“and somehow I don’t feel as small as I used to feel; 
do you?” 

“Well, I feel pretty queer, myself,” said the rabbit, 
twitching his nose. “Maybe it’s because I’m hungry. 
There’s a kitchen garden over there near the royal 
stables and I think if I had some carrots I’d feel 
better.” 

“Of course you would !” cried Peg, jumping up. “I 
forgot you had to eat. ” So, very cautiously they stole 
into the royal cook’s garden. Wag had often helped 
himself to carrots from this garden before, but now 
sitting on his haunches he stared around in dazed 
surprise. 

“Everything’s different!” wailed the rabbit dis- 
138 


Chapter Ten 


mally. “You’re the same and I’m the same but 
everything else is all mixed up. Look at this carrot. 
Why, it’s no bigger than a blade of grass. ” Wag held 
up a carrot in disgust. “Why, it will take fifty of 
these to give me even a taste and the lettuce — look at 
it! Everything’s shrunk, even the houses!” cried the 
big funny bunny, looking around. “My wocks and 
hoop soons, sheverything’s hunk!” 

Peg Amy had followed Wag’s gaze and now she 
jumped up in great excitement. “I see it now!” cried 
Peg. “It’s us, Wag. Everything’s the same but we 
are different. Some of that Mixed Magic has made us 
grow. We’re bigger and everything else is the same. 
I am as tall as the little girl who used to play with me 
and you are even bigger and I’m glad, because now we 
can help find the castle and Ruggedo and try to make 
everything right again. ” 

Peg clasped her wooden hands. “Aren’t you glad 
too, Wag?” 

The rabbit shook his head. “It’s going to take an 
awful lot to fill me up,” he said doubtfully. “I’ll have 
to eat about six times as much as I used to. ” 

“Well, you’re six times as large; isn’t that any 
comfort?” 

“My head doesn’t feel right,” insisted Wag. “As 
139 


Kabumpo in Oz 


soon as I talk fast the words all come wrong.” 

“Maybe it didn’t grow as fast as the rest of you,” 
laughed the Wooden Doll. “But don’t you care, Wag. 
I know what you mean and I think you’re just splen- 
did! Now hurry and finish your carrots so we can 
decide what to do. 

“If Mixed Magic caused all this trouble,” added 
Peg half to herself, “ Mixed Magic’s got to fix it. I’m 
going to look at that box.” Wag, nibbling industri- 
ously, had not heard Peg’s last speech or he would 
doubtless have taken to his heels. 

Sitting unconcernedly in a cabbage bed, the Wooden 
Doll took the gold box from her pocket. Fortunately 
she had not snapped the magic snap and it opened 
quite easily. Her fingers were stiff and clumsy and 
the moon was the only light she had to see by, but it 
did not take Peg Amy long to realize the importance 
of Glegg’s magic. 

“I wonder if he rubbed this on the castle,” she mur- 
mured, holding up the bottle of Vanishing Cream. 
“And how would one bring it back? Let me see, 
now.” One after the other, she took out the bottles 
and boxes and the tiny tea set. The Re-animating 
Rays she passed over, without realizing they were 
responsible for bringing her to life, but the Question 
140 


Chapter Ten 


Box, Peg pounced upon with eager curiosity. 

“Oh, if it only would answer questions!” fluttered 
Peg. Then, holding the box close to her mouth, she 
whispered, “Where is Ruggedo?” 

“Who are you talking to?” asked Wag, looking up 



in alarm. “Now don’t you get mixed up, Peg!” 

“It’s a Question Box,” said the Wooden Doll, “but 
it’s not working very well. ” She shook it vigorously 
and held it up so that the light streaming down from 
the stable window fell directly on it In silver letters 
on the lid of the box was one word — Ev! 

141 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“Ev — Ruggedo’s in Ev!” cried Peg Amy, rushing 
over to the rabbit. “Can you take me to Ev, Wag 
dear?” 

“ Of course, ” said Wag, nibbling faster and faster at 
his carrots. “I’ll take you anywhere, Peg. ” 

“Then it’s going to be all right; I know it,” chuckled 
the Wooden Doll, and putting all the magic appliances 
back into the box she closed the lid with a snap. And 
this time the magic catch caught. 

“Is it far to Ev?” asked Peg Amy, looking thought- 
fully at the place where the castle had once been. 

“Quite a long journey,” said Wag, “but we’ll go a 
hopping. Ev is near Ruggedo’s old home and it’s 
across the Deadly Desert, but we’ll get there somehow. 
Trust me. And when I do!” spluttered Wag, thump- 
ing his hind feet determinedly, “I’ll pound his curly 
toes off — the wicked little monster!” 

“Did you ask the Question Box where the castle 
was?” he inquired hastily, for he saw Peg was going 
to tell him he must not pound Ruggedo. 

“Why, no! How silly of me!” Peg felt in her 
pocket and brought out the gold box. She tried to 
open it as she had done before but it was no use. She 
pulled and tugged and shook it. Then Wag tried. 

“There’s a secret to it,” puffed the rabbit at last. 

142 


Chapter Ten 


“Took Rug a whole night and day to discover it. 
Can’t you remember how you opened it before, Peg?” 

The Wooden Doll shook her head sadly. 

“Well, never mind,” said Wag comfortingly. “Once 
we find Ruggedo we can make him tell. We’d better 
start right off, because if any of the people around 
here saw us they might try to capture us and put us 
in a circus. We are rather unusual, you know.” The 
rabbit regarded Peg Amy complacently. “ One doesn’t 
see six-foot rabbits and live dolls every day, even 
in Ozl” 

“No,” agreed Peg Amy slowly, “I s’pose not!” 

The moon, looking down on the strange pair, 
ducked behind a cloud to hide her smile, for the giant 
funny bunny, strutting about pompously, and old- 
fashioned wooden Peg, in her tom frock, were enough 
to make anyone smile. 

“You think of everything,” sighed Peg, looking 
affectionately at Wag. 

“Who wouldn’t for a girl like you? You’re a Prin- 
cess, Peg — a regular Princess.” The rabbit said it 
with conviction and again Peg happily smoothed her 
dress. 

“Hop on,” chuckled Wag, “and then 3711 hop off.” 

Seating herself on his back and holding tight to one 
143 


Kabumpo in Oz 

of his long ears, Peg announced herself ready. Then 
away through the night shot the giant bunny — away 
toward the western country of the Winkies — and each 
hop carried him twelve feet forward and sent up great 
spurts of dust behind. 



144 



Chapter 11 


The King of The Illumi Nation 


W HILE Ruggedo was working all this mischief in 
the Emerald City, Pompadore and the Elegant 
Elephant had fallen into strange company. After the 
Prince’s disappearance, Kabumpo stared long and 
anxiously at the white marble stone with its mysteri- 
ous inscription, “Knock before you fall in.” 

What would happen if he knocked, as the sign di- 
145 


Kabumpo in Oz 


rected? Something upsetting, the Elegant Elephant 
was sure, else why had Pompa called for help? 

Kabumpo groaned, for he was a luxurious beast and 
hated discomfort of any sort. As for falling in — the 
very thought of it made him shudder in every pound. 
But selfish and luxurious though he was, the Elegant 
Elephant loved Pompa with all his heart. After all, 
he had run off with the Prince and was responsible for 
his safety. If Pompa had fallen in he must fall in too. 
With a resigned sigh, Kabumpo felt in his pocket to 
see that his treasures were safe, straightened his robe 
and, taking one last long breath, rapped sharply on 
the marble stone with his trunk. Without a sound, 
the stone swung inward, and as Kabumpo was stand- 
ing on it he shot headlong into a great black opening. 
There was a terrific rush of air and the slab swung 
back, catching as it did so the fluttering edge of the 
Elegant Elephant’s robe of state. This halted his fall 
for about a second and then with a spluttering tear 
the silk fringe ripped loose and down plunged the 
Elegant Elephant, trunk over heels. 

After the third somersault, Kabumpo, right side up, 
fortunately, struck a soft inclined slide, down which 
he shot like a scenic railway train. 

“Great Grump!” coughed Kabumpo, holding his 
146 


Chapter Eleven 


jeweled headpiece with his trunk. “Great — ” Before 
he reached the second grump, his head struck the top 
of the passage with terrific force, and that was the last 
he remembered about his fall. How long he lay in an 
unconscious state the Elegant Elephant never knew. 
After what seemed several ages he became aware of a 
confused murmur. Footsteps seemed to be pattering 
all around him. but he was still too stunned to be 
curious. 

“Nothing will make me get up,” thought Kabumpo 
dully. “I'm going to lie here forever and — ever — and 
ever — and — ” Just as he reached this drowsy con- 
clusion, something red hot fell down his neck and a 
voice louder than all the rest shouted in his ear. 
“ What are you?” 

“Ouch!” screamed Kabumpo, now thoroughly 
aroused. He opened one eye and rolled over on his 
side. A tall, curious creature was bending over him. 
Its head was on fire and as Kabumpo blinked angrily 
another red hot shower spattered into his ear. With 
a trumpet of rage Kabumpo lunged to his feet. The 
hot-headed person fell over backwards and a crowd of 
similar creatures pattered off into the comer and 
regarded Kabumpo uneasily. They were as tall as 
Pompa but very thin and tube-like in shape and their 
147 



Kabumpo m Oz 


heads appeared to be a mass of flickering flames. 

“Like giant candles,” reflected the Elegant Ele- 
phant, his curiosity getting the better of his anger. 
He glanced about hurriedly. He was in a huge white 
tiled chamber and the only lights came from the heads 


of its singular occupants. A little distance away 
Prince Pompadore sat rubbing first his knees and then 
his head. 

“It’s another faller,” said one of the giant Candle- 
men to the other. “Two fallers in one day I This is 
exciting— an ‘Ouch’ it calls itself!” 

148 




Chapter Eleven 


“I don’t care what it calls itself,” answered the sec- 
ond Candleman crossly. “I call it mighty rude. How 
dare you blow out our king? ’’shouted the hot-headed 
fellow, shaking his fist at the Elegant Elephant. 
“Here, some of you, light him up!” 

“Blow out your King?” gasped Kabumpo in amaze- 
ment. Sure enough, he had. There at his feet lay 
the King of the Candles, stiff and lifeless and with 
never a head to bless himself with. While the Elegant 
Elephant stared at the long candlestick figure a fat 
little Candleman rushed forward and lit with his own 
head the small black wick sticking out of the King’s 
collar. 

Instantly the ruddy flame face of the King ap- 
peared, his eyes snapping dangerously. Jumping to 
his feet he advanced toward Pompadore. “Is this 
your Ouch?” spluttered the Bang, jerking his thumb 
at Kabumpo. “You must take him away at once. I 
never was so put out in my life. Me, the hand-dipped 
King of the whole Hlumi Nation, to be blown out by 
a bumpy creature without any headlight. Where’s 
your headlight?” he demanded fiercely, leaning over 
the Prince and dropping hot tallow down his neck. 

Pompa jumped up in a hurry and backed toward 
Kabumpo. “Be careful how you talk to him,” roared 
149 


Kabumpo in Oz 

the Elegant Elephant, swaying backwards and for- 
ward like a big ship. “He’s a Prince — the Prince of 
Pumperdink!” Kabumpo tossed his trunk threaten- 
ingly. 

“A Prince 1 ?” spluttered the King, changing his 
tone instantly. “Well, that’s different. A Prince can 
fall in on us any time and welcome but an Ouch! Why 
bring this great clumsy Ouch along?” He rolled his 
eyes mournfully at Kabumpo. 

“He’s not an Ouch,” explained Pompa, who was 
gradually recovering from the shock of his fall. “He 
is Kabumpo, an Elegant Elephant, and he blew you 
out by mistake. Didn’t you, Kabumpo?” 

“Purely an accident — nothing intentional, I assure 
you, ” chuckled Kabumpo. He was beginning to enjoy 
himself. “If there’s any more trouble I’ll blow ’em all 
out,” he reflected comfortably, “for they’re nothing 
but great big candles.” 

Seeing their King in friendly conversation with the 
strangers, the other Candlemen came closer — too 
close for comfort, in fact. They were always leaning 
over and dropping hot tallow on a body and the heat 
from their flaming heads was simply suffocating. 

“Sing the National Air for them,” said the Candle 
King carelessly and the Candlemen, in their queer 
150 


Chapter Eleven 

crackling voices, sang the following song, swaying 
rhythmically to the tune: 

“ Flicker, flicker, Candlemen, 

Cheer our King and cheer again! 

Neat as wax and always bright, 

Cheer’s the King of candle light! 

Kindle lightly — dwindle slightly, 

. Here we bum both day and nightly, 

Here we have good times to bum 
Till each one goes out in turn.” 

“Thank you,” said Pompa, mopping his head with 
his silk handkerchief. 

“Thank you very much,” Kabumpo groaned plain- 
tively, for the great elephant was nearly stifled. 

“How is it you are so tall and thin?” asked Pompa 
after an awkward pause. 

“How is it you are so short and lumpy and unevenly 
dipped?” responded King Cheer promptly. “If I 
were in your place,” he gave Kabumpo a contemptu- 
ous glance, “I’d have myself redipped. Where are 
your wicks? And how can you walk about without 
being lighted?” 

“We’re not fireworks,” puffed Kabumpo indig- 
nantly and then he gave a shrill scream. Ten Candle- 
151 


Kabumpo in Oz 


men tottered and went out, falling to the ground with 
a great clatter. Then Pompa leaped several feet in 
the air and his scream put out five more. 

“Stop!” cried King Cheer angrily. “Stand where 
you are!” But Kabumpo and Pompa neither stopped 
nor stood where they were. *The Elegant Elephant 
rushed over to the Prince and threw his heavy robe 
over his head. And just in time, for Pompa’s golden 
locks were a mass of flames. Then the Prince tore off 
his velvet jacket and clapped it to Kabumpo’s tail, 
which also was blazing merrily. 

“Great Grump!” rumbled the Elegant Elephant 
furiously, when he had extinguished Pompa and 
Pompa had extinguished him. “Pll put you all out 
for this!” He raised his trunk and pointed it straight 
at the Candlemen, who cowered in the far corner. 

“I was only trying to light you up,” wailed a little 
fellow, holding out his hands pleadingly. “I thought 
that was your wick.” He pointed a trembling finger 
at Kabumpo’s tail and another at Pompa’s head. 

“Wick!” snorted Kabumpo in a rage — while the 
Prince ran his hand sorrowfully through his once lux- 
uriant pompadour, of which nothing but a short stub- 
ble remained — “Wick! What would we be doing 
with wicks?” 


152 



.1 




“ I WAS ONLY TRYING TO LIGHT YOU UP,” WAILED THE CANDLEMAN Page 152 




Chapter Eleven 


“I don’t think he meant any harm,” put in Pompa- 
dore, whose kind heart was touched by the little Can- 
dleman’s terror. “And it wouldn’t help us any.” 

“Thought it was my wick,” shrilled Kabumpo, glar- 
ing over his shoulder at his poor scorched tail. “He’s 
a wick-ed little wretch. He’s ruined your looks.” 

“I know!” Pompa sighed dismally. “No one will 
want to marry me now. It’s all coming true, Ka- 
bumpo, just as Count It Up said. Remember'? ‘If a 
thin Prince sets out on a fat elephant to find a Proper 
Princess, how many yards of fringe will the elephant 
lose from his robe and how bald will the Prince be at 
the end ot the journey?’ And we’ve scarcely begun!” 

“Great hay stacks!” whistled Kabumpo, his little 
eyes twinkling. “So I have lost every bit of fringe 
from my robe and my tail and half the back of my 
robe besides. This is nice, I must say. ” 

“We only tried to give you a warm welcome,” said 
the King timidly. 

“Warm welcome! Well I should think you did,” 
sniffed Kabumpo. “How do we get out of here?” 

“Oh, that’s very simple,” said the King, cheering 
up. “Tommy, go for the Snuffer.” 

Before Kabumpo or Pompa realized what this would 
mean a little Candleman named Tommy Tallow had 
153 


Kabumpo in Oz 


returned with a tall black candle person. He stepped 
to the side wall, quickly jerked a rope and down over 
Kabumpo dropped a great brass snuffer and over the 
Prince another. 

“That ought to put the cross old things out,” 
Pompa heard the King say just before his snuffer 
reached the floor. 

“This is terrible,” fumed the poor Prince, thump- 
ing on the sides of the huge brass dome. “ I might as 
well have stayed at home and disappeared comfort- 
ably. My poor old father and my mother! I wonder 
where they are now?” 

Sunk in gloomy reflection, Pompadore leaned 
against the side of the snuffer. And one cannot blame 
him for feeling dismal. The fall down the deep pas- 
sage, the shock of losing his hair and now imprison- 
ment under a stifling brass dome were enough to ex- 
tinguish the hopes of the stoutest hearted adventurer. 

“I shall never find a Proper Princess!” wailed 
Pompa, tying and untying his handkerchief. But 
just then there was a creak from without and the great 
dome lifted as suddenly as it had fallen — so suddenly 
in fact that Pompa fell flat on his back. There stood 
Kabumpo winding up the long rope with his trunk 
and grumbling furiously all the while. 

154 


Chapter Eleven 


“Takes more than a snuffer to keep me down,” 
wheezed the Elegant Elephant, hurrying over and 
jerking the Prince to his feet. “Three humps of my 
shoulders and off she goes! What makes it so dark?” 

“The Candlemen have all gone,” sighed Pompa, 
brushing his hand wearily across his forehead. “All 
except that one. ” 

In a distant comer sat Tommy Tallow and the light 
from his head was the only light in the great chamber. 
He was reading a book with tin leaves and looked up 
in surprise when he saw the Elegant Elephant and 
Pompadore approaching. Then he started to sputter 
and ran toward a bell rope at the side of the chamber. 

“Stop!” shouted Kabumpo, “or Pll blow off your 
head!” At that the little Candleman trembled so 
violently that his flame head almost went out. 

“Now suppose you show us the way out,” snapped 
the Elegant Elephant, stamping one big foot until the ■ 
floor trembled. 

“You could bum out!” gasped Tommy faintly. 
“That’s what we do!” 

“Don’t say out,” whispered Pompa anxiously. “We 
want to go away from here,” he explained earnestly. 

“ Back on the top of the ground, you know. ” 

“Oh!” whistled Tommy Tallow, his face lighting 
155 


Kabumpo in Oz 


up. “That’s easy — this way, please!” He almost ran 
to a big door at one side of the room and tugging it 
open, waved them through. 

“Good-bye!” he called, slamming the door quickly 
behind them. 



Kabumpo and the Prince found themselves in a 
wide dim hallway. It slanted up gradually and there 
were tall candle guards stationed about a hundred 
yards apart all of the way. 

“Are you going to a birthday party or a wedding?” 
asked the first guard, as they passed him. 

156 


Chapter Eleven 


“ Wedding, ” sniffed Kabumpo. “Why?” 

“Well, hardly any of the candles go out of here un- 
less they’re needed for a birthday or a wedding,” 
explained the guard, shifting his big feet. “You’re 
mighty poorly made though. What kind of candles do 
you call yourselves?” 

“Roman,” chuckled Kabumpo with a wink. “We 
roam around, ” he added ponderously. 

“Do all the candles used above ground come from 
here?” asked Pompa curiously. 

“Certainly,” replied the guard. “All candles come 
from Illumi — and they don’t like to leave either be- 
cause as soon as they strike the upper air they shrink 
down to ordinary cake and candlestick size. Dis- 
tressing, isn’t it?” 

“ I suppose it must be, ” smiled Pompadore. “ Good- 
bye!” The guard touched his flame hat and Kabumpo 
quickened his pace. 

“I want air,” rumbled the great elephant, panting 
along as fast as he could go. “I’ve seen and felt about 
all I care to see and feel of the Illumi Nation.” 

“So have I!” The Prince of Pumperdink touched 
his scorched locks and sighed deeply. “Pm afraid 
Ozma will never marry me now, and Pumperdink will 
disappear forever!” 


157 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“Don’t be a Gooch!” snapped the Elegant Elephant 
shortly. “Our adventures have only begun.” 

They passed the rest of the guards without further 
conversation, and after about two hours came to the 
end of the long tiled passageway and stepped upon 
firm ground again. 

Kabumpo was terribly out of breath, for the whole 
way had been up hill. For a full minute he stood 
sniffing the fresh night air. Then, turning around, he 
looked for the opening through which they had come. 
Not a sign of the passage anywhere! 

“That’s curious,” puffed the Elegant Elephant. 
“But never mind. We don’t want to go back any- 
way.” 

“I should say not,” gasped the Prince wearily. 
“Where are we now, Kabumpo?” 

“Still in the Gilliken country, I think, but headed 
in the right direction. All we have to do is to keep 
going South,” said the Elegant Elephant cheerfully. 

“But we’ve had nothing to eat since morning,” ob- 
jected Pompadore. ■ 

“That’s so,” agreed Kabumpo, scratching his head 
thoughtfully, “and not a house in sight!” 

“But I smell something cooking,” insisted the 
Prince, sniffing hungrily. 


158 


Chapter Eleven 

“So do I,” said the Elegant Elephant, lifting his 
trunk, “and it smells like soup. Let’s follow our noses, 
Pompa, my boy.” 

“Yours is the longest,” laughed the Prince, as Ka- 
li umpo swung him upon the elephant’s back. So, 
guided by the fragrant whiffs that came floating 
toward them, Kabumpo set out through the trees. 



159 



Chapter 12 


The Delicious Sea of Soup 

“OTRANGE that we don’t see any houses,” puffed 
^ Kabumpo, swinging along rapidly. 

“I hear water,” answered Pompa, peering out over 
Kabumpo’s head, “and there it is!” 

Rippling silver under the rays of the moon, which 
shone brightly, lay a great inland sea. The trees had 
thinned out, and a smooth, sandy beach stretched down 
160 


Chapter Twelve 

to the shore. A slight mist hung in the air and all 
around was the delicious fragrance of vegetable soup. 

“Somebody’s making soup,” sighed the Prince, 
“but who, and where?” 

“Never mind, Pompa,” wheezed the Elegant Ele- 
phant, walking down to the water’s edge, “perhaps 
you can catch some fish, and while you cook them I’ll 
go back and eat some leaves. ” 

With a jerk of his trunk, Kabumpo pulled a length 
of the heavy silver thread from his torn robe and 
handed it up to Pompa. Fastening a jeweled pin to 
one end, the Prince cast his line far out into the waves. 
At the first tug he drew it in. 

“What is it?” asked the Elegant Elephant, as 
Pompa pulled the dripping line over his trunk. 

“Oh, how delicious! How wonderful!” exclaimed 
the once fastidious Prince of Pumperdink: 

Kabumpo could hear him munching away with 
relish. 

“What is it?” he asked again. 

“A carrot! A lovely, red, delightful, tender carrot!” 

“Carrot! Who ever heard of a sea carrot?” grunted 
Kabumpo. “I’m afraid you’re not yourself, my boy. 
Let me see it.” 

Snaps and crunches, as Pompa consumed his strange 
161 


Kabumpo in Oz 


catch, were the only answer, and in real alarm the 
Elegant Elephant moved away from the shore, and in 
doing so bumped against a white sign, stuck in the 
sand. 

“Please Don’t Fall In,” directed the sign politely, 
“ It Spoils The Soup.” 

“Soup!” sputtered Kabumpo. Then another sign 
caught his eye: u SoupSea — Salted To Taste — Help 
Yourself.” 

“Come down — come down here directly!” cried the 
Elegant Elephant, snatching the Prince from his back. 
“Here’s the soup — a whole sea full. Now all you need 
is a bowl. ” 

Swallowing convulsively the last bit of carrot, 
Pompa stood staring out over the tossing, smoking 
soup sea. Every now and then a bone or a vegetable 
would bob out of the waves, and the poor hungry 
Prince of Pumperdink thought he had never seen a 
more lovely sight in his life. 

“We’ll probably be awarded a china medal for 
this,” chuckled the Elegant Elephant. “Won’t old 
Pumper’s eyes stick out when we tell him about it? 
But now for a bowl!” 

Swinging his trunk gently, Kabumpo walked up the 
white beach, and had not gone more than a dozen steps 
162 


Chapter Twelve 


before he came to a cluster of huge shells. He turned 
one over curiously. “Why, it’s a soup bowl,” whistled 
the Elegant Elephant. He rushed back with it to 
Pompadore, who still stood dreamily surveying the 
soup. 

“I never thought Fd be so thrilled by a common 
soup bowl,” thought Kabumpo, staring at the Prince 
in amusement. He stepped out on a rock and dipped 
up a bowl of the hot liquid. 

“ Here ! Drink ! ” commanded the Elegant Elephant, 
handing the bowl to the Prince. “Drink to the Proper 
Princess and the future Queen of Pumperdink.” 

“Don’t go,” begged the Prince between gulps, “I 
shall want two — three — several!” 

Kabumpo laughed good naturedly. “This is the 
pleasantest thing that has happened to us. Here! 
Have another!” 

Then both Pompa and the Elegant Elephant gasped, 
for out of the bubbling waves arose the most curious 
figure that they had ever seen — the most curious and 
the j oiliest. He was made entirely of soup bones, and 
his head was a monster cabbage, with a soup bowl set 
jauntily on the side for a cap. For a cabbage head he 
sang very well and this was the song to which he kept 
time by waving a silver ladle: 

163 


Kabumpo In Oz 


“ Ho! I am the King of the Soup Sea, 

Yes, I am the King of the Deep; 

My crown is a bowl and my sceptre a ladle, 

I fell in the soup when I fell from the cradle, 

And find it exceedingly cheap! 

I stir it up nightly, and pepper it rightly — 

A liquid perfection you ’ll find. 

And here is a roll, sirs, 

So fill up your bowl, sirs, 

And think of me after you’ve dined.” 

When he came to “dined,” the Soup Kfng gave a 
playful leap and disappeared backward into the 
waves. 

Pompa rubbed his eyes and looked at Kabumpo to 
see whether he had been dreaming. 

“Oh!” cried Kabumpo, his eyes as round as little 
saucers. Floating gently toward them were two 
large, crisp, buttered rolls. 

“The most charming King I’ve ever met,” chuckled 
Kabumpo, scooping up the rolls and handing them to 
Pompa. 

Pompa, staring dreamily ahead, first took a drink of 
soup, then a nibble of roll, too happy for speech. Four 
times the Elegant Elephant refilled the bowl. Then, 
his stomach full for the first time since they had left 

164 


Chapter Twelve 


Pumperdink, the Prince stretched himself out on the 
sands. 

“Now,” puffed the Elegant Elephant ceremoni- 
ously, “if you think you’ve had quite enough, I’ll 
snatch a few bites myself. ” Chuckling softly he made 
his way back to some young trees, and dined luxuri- 
ously off their tops. 

When he returned to the beach, Pompa was fast 
asleep, and for a few moments Kabumpo was inclined 
to sleep himself. “But then,” he reflected, “Ozma 
may require a lot of coaxing before she consents to 
marry Pompa, and two of our precious seven days are 
gone. It is plainly my duty to save Pumperdink. 
Besides, when Pompa is married he will be King of 
Oz! Then I, the Elegant Elephant, will be the biggest 
figure at Court.” 

Kabumpo threw up his trunk and trumpeted softly 
to the stars. Then, giving himself a big shake and a 
little stretch, he lifted the sleeping Prince to his 
back and started on again. In about two hours he had 
circled the Soup Sea and, guiding himself by a par- 
ticularly bright and twinkling star, ran swiftly and 
steadily toward the South. 

As the first streaks of dawn appeared in the sky, 
Kabumpo passed through a quaint little Gilliken vil- 
165 


Kabumpo in Oz 


lage. He snatched a bag of rolls from a doorstep and 
stuck them into his pocket, but he did not stop, and 
so fast asleep was the little village that except for a 
few wideawake roosters, no one knew how important 
a person had passed through. 

The sky grew pinker and pinker. You have no idea 
how pink the morning skies in Oz can be. Just as the 
sun got out of bed, the Elegant Elephant came to the 
wonderful Emerald City itself, shining and fairylike 
as a dream under the lovely colors of sunrise. Ka- 
bumpo paused and took a deep breath. Even he was 
impressed, and it took a good bit to impress him. He 
reached back and touched Pompa with his trunk. 

“Wake up, my boy, ” whispered Kabumpo in a trem- 
bling voice. “Wake up and put on your crown, for 
we have come to the city of your Proper Princess.” 

Pompa sat up and rubbed his eyes in amazement. 
Without a word, he took the crown Kabumpo handed 
up to him, and set it on his scorched, golden head. 
Accustomed as Pompa was to grandeur, for Pumper- 
dink is very magnificent in its funny old-fashioned 
way, he could not help but gasp at Ozma’s fair city. 
The lovely green parks, the houses studded with 
countless emeralds, the shining marble streets, filled 
the Prince with wonder. 


166 


Chapter Twelve 


“ I don’t believe she’ll ever marry me, ” he stuttered, 
beginning to feel quite frightened at his boldness. 

“Nonsense,” wheezed Kabumpo faintly. He was 
beginning to have misgivings himself. “Sit up now! 
Look your best, and Fll carry you straight into the 
palace gardens.” 

No one was awake. Even the Soldier with the 
Green Whiskers lay snoring against a tree, so that 
Kabumpo stole unobserved into the Royal Gardens. 

“I don’t see the palace,” whispered Pompa anx- 
iously. “Wouldn’t it show above the trees?” 

“It ought to,” said Kabumpo, wrinkling up his fore- 
head. “But look! Who is that?” 

Pompa’s heart almost stopped, and even Kabumpo’s 
gave a queer jump. On a golden bench, just ahead, 
sat the loveliest person either had seen in all of their 
eighteenth birthdays. 

“Ozma,” gasped the Elegant Elephant, as soon as 
he had breath enough to whisper. “What luck! You 
must ask her at once.” 

“Not now,” begged the Prince of Pumperdink, as 
Kabumpo unceremoniously helped him to the ground. 
His knees shook, his tongue stuck to the roof of his 
mouth. He had never proposed to a Fairy Princess 
before in his whole life. Then all at once he had an 
167 


Kabumpo in Oz 

idea. Slipping his hand into the Elegant Elephant’s 
pocket, he drew out the magic mirror. “I’ll see if 
she’s a princess,” stuttered Pompa. 

The elephant shook his head angrily but was afraid 
to speak again lest he disturb the quiet figure on the 
bench. 

“And I’ll not propose unless she is the one,” said 
Pompa, tip-toeing toward the bench. Without making 
a sound he suddenly held the mirror before the startled 
and lovely lady. 

“ Giinda, good Sorceress of Oz,” flashed the mirror 
promptly. 

“Great gooseberries!” cried Giinda, springing to her 
feet in alarm and swinging around on Pompa. “Where 
did you come from?” After studying a whole day and 
night in her magic books, Giinda had returned to the 
Emerald City to try to perfect her plan for rescuing 
Ozma. 

“From Pumperdink, your Highness,” puffed Ka- 
bumpo, lunging forward anxiously. He, too, had seen 
the words in the mirror and the fear of offending a 
Sorceress made him quake in his skin — which was 
loose enough to quake in, dear knows! 

“A thousand pardons!” cried the Prince, dropping 
on one knee and taking off his crown. “We were 
168 



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Chapter Twelve 


seeking Princess Ozma, the Fairy Ruler of Oz.” 

Glinda looked from Kabumpo to the Prince and 
controlled a desire to laugh. The Elegant Elephant’s 
tom and scorched robe hung in rags from his shoulders 
and his jeweled headpiece was dangling over one ear. 



Pompa’s clothes were equally shabby and his almost 
bald head with a lock sticking up here and there gave 
him a singular and comical appearance. 

“ Pumperdink?” mused Glinda, tapping her foot 
thoughtfully. Then, like a flash she remembered the 
entry in the Book of Records — “The Prince of Pum- 
169 


Kabumpo in Oz 

perdink is journeying toward the Emerald City. ” 

“Why did you want to see Ozma?” asked Glinda 
anxiously. Perhaps these two strangers could throw 
some light on the mysterious disappearance of the 
Royal Palace. 

“Our country was threatened with disappearance 
and I thought — ” 

“He thought Ozma might help us,” finished the 
Elegant Elephant breathlessly. He did not believe in 
telling strange Sorceresses about everything. Now if 
Glinda had not been so occupied with the disappear- 
ance of the palace and all the dearest people in Oz, 
she might have been more curious about the disap- 
pearance of Pumperdink. As it was she just shook 
her head sadly. “Pm afraid Ozma cannot help you,” 
she said, “for Ozma herself has disappeared — Ozma 
and everyone in the palace.” 

“Disappeared!” trumpeted the Elegant Elephant, 
sitting down with a thud. “Great Grump! The 
thing’s getting to be a habit!” 

"What was to become of Pompa now? Would he 
never be King, nor he, Kabumpo, ever be known as 
the most Elegant Elephant in Oz? Had they made 
the long journey in vain? 

“"Where? "When?” gasped Prince Pompadore. 

170 


Chapter Twelve 


“Night before last,” explained Glinda. “I’ve been 
consulting my magic books ever since but have only 
been able to discover one fact. ” 

“What is that?” asked Kabumpo faintly. 

“That they are in Ev,” said Glinda, “and that a 
giant carried them off. I came here early this morn- 
ing to see whether I could discover anything new. 
Would you care to see where the castle stood?” 

“Did he carry the castle off, too?” shuddered 
Pompa. Glinda nodded gloomily and led them over 
to the great hole in the center of the gardens. 

For a minute she stood watching them. Then, 
glancing at a golden sun dial set in the center of a 
lovely flower bed, she murmured half to herself, “I 
must be off!” Next instant she clapped her hands and 
down swept a shining chariot drawn by white swans. 

“Good-bye!” called Glinda, springing in lightly. 
“I’m off to Ev to try my magic against the giant's. 
Wait here and when I’ve helped Ozma perhaps I can 
help you!” 

“Can’t we help? Can’t we go?” cried Pompa, run- 
ning a few steps after the chariot, but Glinda, already 
high in the air, did not hear him and in the wink of 
an eye the chariot and its lovely occupant had melted 
into the pink morning clouds. 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“Now what shall we do?” groaned the Prince, let- 
ting his arms drop heavily at his sides. 

“Do!” snorted Kabumpo. “The thing for you to do 
is to act like a Prince instead of a Gooch! There are 
other ways of getting to Ev than by chariot.” 

The thought of Kabumpo in Glinda’s chariot made 
Pompa smile in spite of himself. 

“There! That’s better,” said the Elegant Elephant 
more pleasantly. 

“Now, what’s to hinder us from going to Ev and 
rescuing Princess Ozma? She couldn’t help marrying 
you if you saved her from a giant, could she?” 

“But could I save her — that’s the question,” mut- 
tered the Prince, looking uneasily at the yawning 
cavity where the castle had stood. “This giant must 
be a terrible fellow!” 

“Pooh!” said Kabumpo airily. “Who’s afraid of 
giants? I’ll wind my trunk around his leg and pull 
him to earth. Then you can dispatch the villain. We 
must get you a sword, though,” he added softly. 

“All right! Pll do it!” cried the Prince, throwing 
out his chest. The very thought of killing a giant 
made him feel about ten feet high. “Do you know the 
way to Ev, Kabumpo? We’ll have to hurry, because 
unless I marry Ozma before the seven days are up my 
172 


Chapter Twelve 


poor old father and mother and all of Pumperdink will 
disappear forever.” 

You see, even Pompa had now got it into his head 
that Ozma was the Proper Princess mentioned in the 
scroll. 

“We’ll start at once,” sighed the Elegant Elephant 
a bit ruefully. “Fve had no sleep and precious little 
to eat but when you are King of Oz you can reward 
old Kabumpo as he deserves.” 

“Everything I have will be yours,” cried the 
Prince, giving the elephant, or as much of him as he 
could grasp, a sudden hug. Then each took a long 
drink from one of the bubbling fountains and, munch- 
ing the rolls Kabumpo had picked up in the Gilliken 
village, the two adventurers stole out of the gardens. 

As they reached the gates, Kabumpo paused and 
his little eyes twinkled with delight. There lay the 
Soldier with the Green Whiskers, snoring tremen- 
dously and beside him was a long, sharp sword with 
an emerald handle. “Just what we need,” chuckled 
Kabumpo, snatching it up in his trunk. Then out 
through the gates and swiftly through the still sleep- 
ing city swept the Elegant Elephant and the Prince 
of Pumperdink, off to rescue Princess Ozma, a pris- 
oner in Ev ! 


173 



Chapter 13 

On The Road To Ev 

I N their journey to Ev, Peg and Wag had a night’s 
start of Kabumpo and Prince Pompadore, but 
towards morning Wag’s ears began to droop with 
sleep. 

“Gotta natch a sap, Peg,” Wag muttered thickly, as 
they halted on a little hill. 

“Natch a sap? What’s that?” asked the Wooden 
174 


Chapter Thirteen 


Doll anxiously. Wag made no answer — just flopped 
on his side and in a minute was asleep and snoring 
tremendously. 

“Oh!” whispered Peg, pulling herself gently from 
beneath the sleeping rabbit. “He meant snatch a 
nap. ” 

She laughed softly and seated herself under a small 
tree. The birds were beginning to waken and their 
singing filled Peg Amy with delight. “How won- 
derful it all is, ” she murmured, gazing up at the little 
ruffly pink clouds. “How wonderful it is to be alive!” 

“Hello! Mr. Robin!” she called gaily, as a bird flew 
to a low bush beside her. “Are your children quite 
well?” 

The robin swung backward and forward on his 
swaying branch; then burst into his best morning song. 

“Oh!” cried Peg Amy, clasping her wooden hands, 
“I’ve heard that before! But how could I?” she rea- 
soned, “Pm only a Wooden Doll and this is the first 
morning I have been alive. But then, how did I know 
it was a robin?” 

Peg rubbed her wooden forehead in perplexity, for 
it was all very puzzling indeed. Below their little 
hill stretched the lovely land of the Winkies, with its 
great green forests and little yellow villages. The 
175 


Kabumpo in Oz 


wind sent the leaves dancing above Peg’s head and the 
early sunbeams made lovely patterns on the grass. 

“I’ve seen it before!” gasped the Wooden Doll 
breathlessly. “The trees, the birds, the houses and 
everything!” Springing to her feet she ran awk- 
wardly from bush to tree, touching the leaves and 
bending over the flowers as if they were old friends. 
Had it not been for the squeaking of her wooden 
joints, Peg would almost have forgotten she was a 
Wooden Doll, for at the sight of the lovely green 
growing things something warm and sunny seemed 
to waken in her stiff wooden breast. “I’ve been alive 
before,” said Peg Amy over and over 

Suddenly, through the still morning air, came a 
loud, shrill laugh. Peg, who had been standing with 
her cheek pressed closely against a small tree, swung 
around quickly — so quickly in fact that she fell over 
"and lay in a ridiculously bent double position before 
the new-comers. 

It was Kabumpo and the Prince of Pumperdink. 
Traveling by the same road Wag had chosen but much 
more rapidly, the Elegant Elephant had come at sun- 
rise to the little hill. He had been watching Peg for 
some time, and when he saw her dance awkwardly 
over to the tree, he could no longer restrain himself. 

176 


Chapter Thirteen 


“Get out your mirror !” roared Kabumpo, shaking 
all oyer with mirth. “Here is your Proper Princess, 
Pompa, my boy — as royal a maiden as the country 
boasts. Ho, ho! Kerumph!” 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” snapped Pompa, looking 



down curiously at the comical figure of Peg Amy. 

“But she’s so funny!” gasped Kabumpo, the tears 
rolling down his big cheeks. 

“Who’s funny?” demanded an angry voice and Wag, 
who had been awakened by Kabumpo’s loud roars, 
hopped up, his ears quivering with rage. 

177 



Kabumpo in Oz 


“I’ll pull your long nose for you!” cried Wag, ad- 
vancing threateningly. “Don’t you dare make fun of 
Peg. What are you, anyway?” 

“Great Grump!” choked Kabumpo, without answer- 
ing Wag’s inquiry. “What kind of a rabbit is this?” 

“A clawing, chawing, scratching kind — as you’ll 
soon find out!” Wag drew himself up into a ball and 
prepared to launch himself at Kabumpo’s head, when 
Peg straightened up and caught him by the ear. 

“Don’t, Wag, please,” she begged. “He couldn’t 
help laughing. I am funny. You know I am!” she 
sighed a bit ruefully. 

“You’re not funny to me,” blustered Wag, still 
glaring at Kabumpo. “Who does he think he is?” 

“I?” sniffed Kabumpo, spreading out his ears com- 
placently, “I am the Elegant Elephant of Pumper- 
dink. Notice my pearls; gaze upon my robe.” 

“You don’t look very elegant to me,” snorted Wag. 
“You look more like a tramp. Says he’s a lelegant 
nelephant from Dumperpink,” he whispered scorn- 
fully to Peg. 

“And what’s that you’ve got on your back?” he 
called, with a wave of his paw at Pompa. “A dunce?” 

“Dunce!” screamed Kabumpo furiously. “This is 
the Prince of Pumperdink, you good-for-nothing 
178 


Chapter Thirteen 


lettuce-eater! What do you mean by laughing at 
royalty?” 

“Royalty! Oh, ha, ha, ha!” roared Wag, rolling 
over and over in the grass. “ But he’s so funny!” He 
paused to take another look at the Prince. At this 
Kabumpo lunged forward, his eyes snapping angrily. 

“Stop!” begged the Prince, tugging Kabumpo by 
the ear. “You were rude to his friend that — er — 
doll, so you must expect him to be rude to me. It’s all 
your fault, ” he added reproachfully. 

“Are you a Prince?” asked Peg Amy, staring up at 
Pompa with her round, painted eyes. 

“Of course he’s a Prince. Didn’t I say so before? 
Who is that hoppy creature?” 

“That’s Wag — such a dear fellow.” Peg smiled 
confidently at Kabumpo and he was suddenly ashamed 
of himself for laughing at her. 

“Well, he needn’t get waggish with me,” grum- 
bled the Elegant Elephant in a lower voice. 

“Oh, don’t quarrel!” begged Peg. “It’s such a 
lovely morning and you both look so interesting.” 

Kabumpo eyed the big Wooden Doll attentively. It 
was smart of her to think him interesting. He cleared 
his throat gruffly. 

“You’re not as funny as you look,” he admitted 
179 


Kabumpo in Oz 


grandly, which was the nearest to an apology he had 
ever come. “But what are you doing here and why 
are you alive ?” 

“I don’t know,” explained Peg apologetically. “It 
just happened last night.” 

“It did? Well, where are you going?” 



Wag still looked cross and his nose was twitching 
violently, but Peg politely answered Kabumpo’s 
question. 

“We’re on our way to Ev to try to help Ozma,” 
said the Wooden Doll, folding her hands quaintly. 

“Why so are we!” cried Pompa, sliding down Ka- 
bumpo’s trunk in a hurry. 

180 


Chapter Thirteen 

“How do you expect to help her?” grunted Kabum- 
po, looking at Wag and Peg contemptuously. 

“Don’t mind him,” begged Pompa, running up to 
Peg Amy. “Tell me everything you know about 
Ozma. Is she pretty?” 

“Beautiful,” breathed Peg, looking up at the sky. 
“Beautiful and lovely and good. That’s why I want 
to help her. ” 

“Then I sha’n’t mind marrying her at all,” said 
Pompa, with a great sigh of relief. 

“Hooch!” roared Kabumpo angrily — “Telling 
everything you know!” 

“Do you mean to say you think Ozma would marry 
youV ’ gasped Wag, sitting up with a jerk. “Oh, my 
wocks and hoop soons!” His ears crossed and un- 
crossed and with a final gurgle of disbelief Wag fell 
back on the grass. 

“Well, is there anything so strange in that?” asked 
Pompa in a hurt voice. “I’ve got to marry her,” he 
added, desperately appealing to Peg Amy. And 
while Kabumpo stood sulkily swinging his trunk the 
Prince told Peg the whole story of the magic scroll. 

“I said you looked interesting,” breathed Peg, as 
Pompa paused for breath. “Did you hear that, Wag? 
Unless he marries a Proper Princess in a proper time 
181 


Kabumpo in Oz 

his whole Kingdom will disappear — his Kingdom and 
everyone in it!” 

“But how do you know Ozma is the Proper Prin- 
cess?” asked Wag, chewing a blade of grass. “The 
scroll didn’t say Ozma, did it?” 

“Kabumpo thinks Ozma is the Proper Princess,” 
explained Pompadore, nodding toward the Elegant 
Elephant, “and he’s usually right!” 

“Humph!” sniffed Wag. “Well, maybe you are a 
Prince. You’re not really bad looking if you had 
some fur on your head,” he remarked more amiably. 
“What happened? Somebody pull it out?” 

“Oh, Wag!” murmured Peg Amy, in a shocked 
voice. 

“Burned off,” sighed Pompa, and proceeded to tell 
of their fall into the Illumi Nation. He even told them 
about the Soup Sea and of their meeting with Glinda, 
the Good. 

“Don’t you care,” said the big Wooden Doll, as 
Pompa mournfully rubbed his scorched head. “It 
will soon grow again and I don’t see how Ozma could 
help loving you — you’re so tall, and so polite.” This 
kind little speech affected Pompa so deeply that he 
dropped on one knee and raised Peg’s wooden hand to 
his lips. 


182 


Chapter Thirteen 


“The creature has a lot of sense,” mumbled Ka- 
bumpo, with his mouth full of leaves. 

“Creature!” exclaimed Wag, sitting up straight 
and opening his eyes wide. “Her name is Peg Amy, 
Mr. Nelegant Lelephant.” 

“Oh, all right,” sniffed Kabumpo hastily. “But 
you’ll have to admit she’s curious.” 

“Of course she is,” said Wag complacently. “That’s 
why I like her. She wasn’t cut out to be a beauty, 
but to be companionable, and she is. When you’ve 
known Peg as long as I have”— Wag paused im- 
pressively — “you’ll be proud to carry her on your 
back, Mr. Long Nose!” 

“I’ve only known her a few minutes and I adore 
her!” said Pompa heartily. “Mistress Peg and I are 
good friends already.” Peg curtseyed awkwardly. 
“ I’ve done this before,” she reflected curiously to 
herself. 

“Shall we tell them about Ruggedo?” Peg asked 
aloud, turning to Wag. 

“Yes, do!” begged Pompa. “Tell us something 
about yourselves. I never saw so large a rabbit in my 
life as Wag and as for youV — Pompa paused, for 
Wag was eying him resentfully — “you are the larg- 
est, most delightful doll I have ever met, the only 
183 


Kabumpo in Oz 


alive one, I might say. How did you know about 
Ozma’s disappearance and how were you going to 
help her?” 

“Mixed Magic!” whispered Wag, crossing his ears 
and his eyes as well. “Mixed Magic!” 

“Magic?” gulped Kabumpo, swallowing a branch 
of sticky leaves whole. “Have you any magic?” 

“A whole box full,” sighed Peg Amy, patting her 
pocket softly. 

“In that box is the magic that brought Peg to life!” 
shrilled Wag, pointing a trembling paw. “ In that box 
is the magic that made us grow. In that box is the 
magic that caused Ozma’s castle to disappear — I” 

“Great Grump!” whistled Kabumpo. “How fortu- 
nate we fell in with them, Pompa.” He held out his 
trunk. “Give me the box, my good girl, and you shall 
be fittingly rewarded when Pompa is King of Oz.” 

“That’s a long time to wait,” chuckled Wag, tickled 
by Kabumpo’s outrageous impudence. “No, Peg and 
I will just keep the box, thank you.” 

“ Of course you will,” said Prince Pompadore, 
frowning at Kabumpo. “But as we are both bound 
on the same errand, let us travel together. Kabumpo 
and I are going to kill the giant who ran off with the 
castle. ” 


184 


Chapter Thirteen 


The Prince held up his long sword. “And if you 
can help us, I shall thank you from the bottom of my 
heart. ” Pompa stretched out his hand impulsively. 

“Well, that’s more like,” said Wag, pulling his ear 
thoughtfully. “And four heads are better than two!” 

“Of course we’ll help you!” cried Peg Amy. “The 
trouble is, we don’t know ourselves how to open the 
magic box, but we do know that Ruggedo is in Ev and 
when we get there we will make him open the box 
and undo all this mischief.” 

“You mentioned him before,” said Kabumpo, hold- 
ing up his trunk. “Who is Ruggedo and what has he 
to do with Ozma?” 

“Ruggedo is a wicked little gnome,” explained Peg 
Amy gravely. “He used to be King of the Gnomes 
but he was banished from his Kingdom and Ozma 
gave him a little cottage in the Emerald City. He 
pretended to live there, but instead he tunneled a cave 
right underneath the palace. Wag helped him dig.” 
Peg waved her hand at the rabbit. “And he was the 
only one who would stay with him. Then Ruggedo 
stole me. I was only a small, unalive doll, belonging 
to Trot, a little girl who lives with Ozma. Ruggedo 
stole me just to shake,” continued Peg shuddering. 

“That’s why Pm going to pound his curly toes 
185 


Kabumpo in Oz 


off!” screamed Wag, beginning to hop about at the 
very thought of Ruggedo. 

“But how did you come to be so large and alive?” 
asked Kabumpo, who was growing more interested. 

“Well, one night” — Peg dropped her voice to a 
whisper — “One night Ruggedo found this box of 
Mixed Magic hidden in the cave and then—” 

“Then,” screamed Wag hoarsely, “in some way we 
don’t understand, Peg and I grew big, Peg came 
alive, the top blew off the cave — and depend upon it, 
whatever’s happened to Ozma and her palace hap- 
pened from something in that box. It’s all Ruggedo’s 
fault When I catch him” — Wag began to wiggle his 
nose and paw his whiskers— “my wocks and hoop 
soons! I’ll pound his curly toes off!” 

“And I’ll help you!” cried Kabumpo heartily. He 
could not help but admire such spirit “Come on — 
let’s start. You may ride on my back with Pompa if 
you care to,” finished the Elegant Elephant with a 
sidelong glance at Peg. 

“Oh, thank you,” smiled the Wooden Doll, “but 
Wag will carry me.” 

“I always carry Peg,” said Wag jealously. “Pve 
known her the longest.” 

“Oh, all right,” niffed Kabumpo, lifting Pompa up, 
186 


Chapter Thirteen 


“ but if she ever wants to ride on my back she may.” 

“Humph!” grunted Wag, as the Wooden Doll set- 
tled herself on his shoulders. “Isn’t he generous!” 

Peg pulled down one of Wag’s long ears. “It was 
kindly meant,” whispered the Wooden Doll merrily. 

“Ready?” puffed Kabumpo, backing out into the 
road. “We’ve no time to lose, for if we lose time we 
lose our Kingdom too. Forward for Pumperdink!” 

“All right!” cried Wag, giving a great leap. “Fol- 
low me!” And off hopped the giant bunny so fast 
that Kabumpo had to stretch his legs even to keep 
him in sight. 



187 



Chapter 14 

Terror In Ozmas Palace 

TV TEAN WHTLF, strange things had been happening 
-*"VA in Ozma’s palace. For the people inside it had 
been a very mean time indeed. During Ruggedo’s run 
to the mountains of Ev, they had almost been shaken 
out of their wits and when he sat down upon the moun- 
tain top there was not a person nor piece of furniture 
standing in the whole palace. Courtiers and servants 
188 





Chapter Fourteen 

who were not knocked senseless lay shaking in their 
beds or huddled in comers and under sofas and chairs, 
just as they had fallen when the first terrible crash 
lifted the palace into the air. 

0 zina’s four poster bed had collapsed, pinning the 
little Fairy Princess under a mass of silk hangings and 
curtain poles. Being a fairy, Ozma was unhurt, but 
not being able to move, nor to reach her Magic Belt 
or even make herself heard, she was forced to lie per- 
fectly still and wait for help. 

In Dorothy’s sitting room there was not a sound but 
the ticking of the Copper Man’s machinery. Trot and 
Betsy Bobbin had knocked their heads together so 
smartly that they were unconscious. Sir Hokus had 
been hurled violently against Tik Tok and the poor 
Knight had known nothing since. Dorothy lay quietly 
beside him, an ugly bruise on her forehead, where the 
emerald clock had landed. 

“Scraps!” called the Scarecrow, sometime after the 
rumble and tumble had ceased, “are you there?” 

“No, here !” gasped the Patch Work Girl, sitting up 
cautiously. She had bounced all around the room and 
finally rolled into a comer quite close to the Scare- 
crow himself. She put out her cotton hand as she 
spoke and touched him. 


189 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“How fortunate we are unbreakable,” said the 
Scarecrow, pressing her cotton fingers convulsively 
and trying to peer out through the intense blackness 
of the room. “What happened?” 

“Earthquake!” shivered Scraps. “And maybe it’s 
not over!” 

“Must have knocked everybody silly,” said the 
Scarecrow huskily. 

“Except us,” giggled the Patch Work Girl. “We 
couldn’t be knocked silly ’cause we were silly in the 
first place.” 

“Now, don’t make jokes, please,” begged the Scare- 
crow. “This is serious. Besides, I want to think.” 

“All right,” said Scraps cheerfully. “I don’t — but 
Pm going to feel around and see if I can find the 
matches. There used to be some candles on the mantel 
and — ” As she spoke, Scraps fell headlong over Sir 
Hokus of Pokes and as luck would have it her cotton 
fingers closed over a small gold match box. Picking 
herself up carefully, Scraps struck a match on Sir 
Hokus’ armor and looked anxiously around the room. 

“They need water,” said the Patch Work Girl, 
wrinkling up her patchwork forehead. 

“So will you if you don’t blow out that match!” 
cried the Scarecrow in alarm, for Scraps continued to 
190 


Chapter Fourteen 


hold the match till it burned to the very end. He 
jumped up clumsily and puffed out the light just in 
time. Scraps promptly lit another and as she did so 
the Scarecrow saw a tall blue candle sticking out of 
the waste basket. 

“Here,” said the Straw Man nervously. “Light 
this and stand it on the mantel there.” By the flicker- 
ing candle light the Scarecrow and Scraps tried to set 
Dorothy’s room to rights. They dragged the mattress 
from the bed-room and placed the little girls on it, 
side by side. Sir Hokus was too heavy to move, so 
they merely loosened his armor and put a sofa cushion 
under his head. Then, just as Scraps was going for 
some water, the room began to tremble again. 

“I told you it wasn’t over,” cried Scraps, flinging 
both arms about the Scarecrow’s neck. And as they 
rocked to and fro she shouted merrily: 

“ Shaker! Shaker! Who art thee, 

To shake a castle like a tree ? 

Shaker! Shaker! Go away 
And come again some other day! ” 

“Now, Scraps,” begged the Scarecrow, steadying the 
Patch Work Girl with one hand and catching hold of .a 
table with the other, “ everything depends on us. Do 
try to keep your head!” 


191 


Kabumpo in Oz 

“Keep my head!” shrilled Scraps, as the room tilted 
over and slid all the furniture sideways. “Ill be lucky 
if I keep my feet. Whoopee! Here we go!” And go 
they did with a rush into the farthest comer. Slowly 



the room righted itself and everything grew quiet 
again. 


“I know what I’m going to do,” said the Scarecrow 
determinedly. “Before anything else happens I’m 
going to see what has happened already. 

“How?” asked Scraps, bouncing to her feet. 

“The Magic Picture,” gasped the Scarecrow. “You 
192 



Dorothy and Toto 


Kabumpo in Oz 


bring the candle, Scraps, like a good girl. You’re less 
liable to take fire than I am. Then we’ll come back 
and help Dorothy and the others. 

“Good idea,” said Scraps, taking the candle from 
the mantel. Breathlessly the two tip-toed along the 
hall to Ozma’s apartment. On the wall in one of 
Ozma’s rooms hangs the most magic possession in Oz. 
It is a picture representing a country scene, but when 
you ask it where a certain person is, immediately he 
is shown in the picture and also what he is doing at 
the time. 

“So,” murmured the Scarecrow, as they gained the 
room in safety, “if it tells where other people are, it 
ought to tell us where we are ourselves.” 

Drawing aside the curtain that covered the picture 
the Scarecrow demanded loudly, “Where are we?” 

Scraps held the candle so that its flickering rays 
fell directly on the picture. Then both jumped in 
earnest, for in a flash the face of Ruggedo, the wicked 
old gnome King, appeared, on his head a great, green 
towering sort of hat. 

The Scarecrow seized the candle from Scraps and 
held it closer to the picture. He squinted up one eye 
and almost rubbed his painted nose off. 

“Great Kinkajous!” spluttered the Straw Man dis- 
194 


Chapter Fourteen 

tractedly. “That's a palace on his head — an Emerald 
palace — Ozma’s palace !” 

“But how?” asked Scraps^ her suspender button 
eyes almost dropping out. “He's nothing but a 
gnome. He’s—” 



Before Scraps could finish her sentence the palace 
began to tilt forward and they both fell upon their 
faces. Then the picture jerked loose and fell with a 
clattering slam on their heads, followed by such orna- 
ments as had not already tumbled down before. 
Through it all Scraps held the candle high in air and 
195 


Kabumpo in Oz 


fortunately it did not go out, despite the turmoil. 

In a few moments the palace stopped rocking and a 
muffled call from Ozma sent the Scarecrow and Scraps 
hurrying to her bedside. After some trouble, for they 
were both flimsily made, they managed to free the 
little Princess of Oz from the poles and bed curtains. 

“Goodness!” sighed Ozma, looking around at the 
terrible confusion. 

“Not goodness, but badness,” said the Scarecrow, 
settling his hat firmly, “and Ruggedo is at the bottom 
of it and of us.” He quickly explained to Ozma what 
he had seen in the Magic Picture. 

Slipping on a silk robe, Ozma followed them into the 
next room. When the picture had been rehung, they 
all looked again. This time Ozma asked where the 
palace was. Immediately the old Gnome King ap- 
peared and there could be no mistake — the palace was 
set squarely on his head. The picture did not show 
the real size of Ruggedo nor of the palace, but it was 
enough. 

“He must have sprung into a giant,” gasped Ozma, 
scarcely believing her eyes. “Oh, what shall we do?” 

“The first thing to do is to keep him quiet. Every 
time he shakes his head it tumbles us about so,” com- 
plained the Scarecrow, plumping up the straw in his 
196 


Chapter Fourteen 


chest. “And we must look after Dorothy and Betsy 
and Trot.” 

“And Sir Hokus,” added the Patch Work Girl, 
flinging out one hand. “He’s yearning to slay a giant. 
’Way for the Giant Killer!” 

Without waiting for the others Scraps ran back to 
Dorothy’s sitting room. Lighting another candle, for 
all the lights in the paiace were out, Ozma and the 
Scarecrow followed. 

“Odds Goblins!” gasped the Knight, as they en- 
tered. He was sitting up with one hand to his head. 

“Not goblins — giants!” cried the Patch Work Girl, 
with a bounce, while Ozma ran for some water to 
restore her three little friends. 

“Where?” puffed the Knight, lurching to his feet. 

“Beneath you,” said the Scarecrow, clutching at a 
wisp of straw that stuck out of his head. “ Say! Some 
one wind up Tik Tok. There’s a lot of thinking to be 
done here and his head works very well, even if it has 
wheels inside.” 

Sir Hokus, though still a bit dizzy, hastened to wind 
up all the Copper Man’s keys. 

“Thanks,” said Tik Tok immediately. “Give me a 
lift up, Ho-kus.” The Knight obligingly helped the 
Copper Man to his feet. Then both stared in amaze- 
197 


* 



Jack Pumpkinhbad 








Chapter Fourteen 


ment at the topsy turvy room. Even in the Him candle 
light they could see that something very serious had 
occurred. 

Jack Pumpkinhead picked himself up out of a 
comer, looking very much dazed. 

Just then Dorothy opened her eyes, and Betsy and 
Trot, spluttering from the water the Patch Work Girl 
was pouring on their heads, sat up and wanted to know 
what had happened. In a few words Ozma told them 
what the magic picture had revealed. 

“ Ruggedo to a giant’s grown 
And set us on his head. 

We ’ve made some headway, you’ll admit, 

Since we have gone to bed! ” 

— shouted Scraps, who was growing more and more 
excited. 

“Rug-ge-do will nev-er re-form,” ticked the Copper 
Man sadly. 

“But what are we going to do?” wailed Dorothy. 
“Suppose he leans over and spills us all out?” 

“I shall take my sword,” said Sir Hokus, speaking 
very determinedly, and backing toward the window as 
he spoke, “climb down, and slay the villain.” He 
threw one leg over the sill. 

199 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“Come back!” cried Ozma. “Dear Sir Hokus, don’t 
you realize that if you kill Ruggedo he will fall down 
and break us to pieces? Besides, wicked as he is, I 
could not have him killed.” 

“Yes, we should be all broken up if you did that,” 
sighed the Scarecrow. “We must try something else.” 

Reluctantly, the Knight dropped back into the 
room. “Close the windows,” ordered Ozma with a 
little shudder. 

“I’ve thought of a plan,” said Tik Tok, in his slow, 
painstaking way. “A ve-ry good plan.” 

“Tell us what it is,” begged Dorothy. “And Oh, 
Tik Tok, hurry!” 

“Eggs,” said the Copper Man solemnly. 

“Oh!” gasped Dorothy, “I remember. Eggs are the 
only things in Oz that Ruggedo is afraid of; for if an 
egg touches a gnome he shrivels up and disappears.” 

“Then where are the eggs?” demanded Sir Hokus 
gloomily. “In faith, this sounds more like an omelet 
than a battle. But if we’re to fight with eggs instead 
of swords, let us draw them at once.” 

“You mean throw them,” corrected Dorothy. But 
Tik Tok shook his head violently. 

“Rot throw them,” said the Copper Man slowly, 
“threat-en to throw them.” 

200 


Chapter Fourteen 


“But how can we threaten a giant so far below us?” 
asked Ozma. 

“Print a sign,” directed Tik Tok calmly, “and 
low-er it down to him.” 

“Tik Tok,” cried the Scarecrow, rushing forward 



and embracing him impulsively, “your patent-action- 
double-guaranteed brains are marvels. I couldn’t have 
thought up a better plan myself.” 

Now off ran Scraps to fetch a huge piece of card- 
board, and the Scarecrow for a paint brush, and Sir 
Hokus for a piece of rope. 

“It’s growing lighter,” quavered Trot, looking to- 
201 


Kabumpo in Oz 


ward the windows. The sky was turning gray with 
little streaks of pink, and the three girls huddled to- 
gether on the mattress gave a sigh of relief; for noth- 
ing, not even a giant, seems so bad by daylight. 

“Perhaps someone has already started to help us,” 
said Ozma hopefully. “But here’s the sign board. 
What shall we write?” 

“How shall I begin?” asked the Scarecrow, dipping 
the brush into a can of green paint. “ Dear Ruggedo ? ” 

“I should say not,” said Dorothy indignantly. 

“Then I shall simply say, Sir,” said the Scarecrow. 

“If you move or turn or shake your head a-gain, ten 
thou-sand eggs will be hurl-ed from the pal-ace win- 
dows,” suggested Tik Tok. 

As this message met with general approval, the 
Scarecrow set it down with many flourishes and 
blotches of paint spilled between. Then Ozma painted 
her name and the Royal seal of Oz at the end. 

Meanwhile, with the help of a pair of field glasses, 
Sir Hokus had located Ruggedo’s nose, sticking out 
like a huge cliff below the middle window of Doro- 
thy’s room. So, tying a long rope to each comer of 
the sign, and rolling it up so it would go through the 
window, the Knight let it down till it dangled directly 
in front of Ruggedo’s nose. 

202 



“ Rugqedo gave a bloodcurdling scream and began to tremble violently ” 


Kabumpo in Oz 


At first Ruggedo did not even see the sign, which 
was about as large as the tiniest visiting card — com- 
pared to him. But it blew against his face and tickled 
his cheek. He tried to brush it away. Then, suddenly 
noticing it was dangling from above, he seized it in one 
hand and held it close to his left eye. The words 
were so small for a giant that Ruggedo had to squint 
fearfully before he could make them out at all, but 
when he did he gave a bloodcurdling scream, and 
began to tremble violently. 

Up in the palace the entire company fell over and 
twenty windows were shaken to bits. Then every- 
thing grew quiet and there was perfect silence; for 
Ruggedo, realizing his danger, grew rigid with fright. 
Giant drops of perspiration trickled down his fore- 
head. How long could he keep from moving? 

“Well,” said Dorothy after a few minutes had 
passed, “I guess that will keep him quiet, but what 
next? Shall we let ourselves down with ropes?” 

“We have none long enough,” said Sir Hokus. 

“Then I’ll fall out and go for help,” said the Scare- 
crow brightly, and started toward the window. When 
he reached it he paused in astonishment. “Look,” he 
cried, waving excitedly to the others, “here comes 
someone, walking right over the clouds.” 

204 



S OMEONE was coming toward the palace. A little 
gray-cloaked old gentleman — a surprisingly 
quick and nimble old gentleman — springing from 
cloud to cloud and pausing now and then to straighten 
a huge sack he carried over his left shoulder. He was 
so busy admiring the lovely sky colors behind him and 
waving merrily at the fluffy cloud figures above his 
205 


The Sand 


Chapter 15 

Man Takes a Hand 


Kabumpo in Oz 


head, that he did not see Ozma’s shining palace until 
he was almost upon it. 

“Stars!” murmured the little old gentleman, balanc- 
ing perilously on the very edge of a silver cloud. “An- 
other air castle! How delightful! I shall jump right 
through it!” 

Gathering himself together he leaped straight to- 
ward the window out of which Dorothy and Ozma and 
the others were looking. With a soft thud he struck 
the emerald setting just above the window, and down 
tumbled his sack, opening as it fell and filling the air 
with clouds of silver sand. Down tumbled the little 
old gentleman, turning over and over, and finally 
landing on a blankety white cloud far below. 

All of this Dorothy saw, and was about to ask Ozma 
what it could mean when an overpowering drowsiness 
stole over her. Before she could speak her eyes closed, 
and she sank backward into a big arm chair. Trot 
and Betsy Bobbin with two little sighs crumpled down 
to the floor. The head of Sir Hokus dropped heavily 
on the sill, and not even in Pokes had he snored so 
lustily. Ozma slipped gently down beside Betsy and 
Trot, and in a moment there was not a person awake 
in that whole big palace. Even the little mice in the 
kitchen were fast asleep, with heads on their paws. 

206 


Chapter Fifteen 


Did I say everyone? Well, not quite everyone had 
fallen under the strange spell. Tik Tok, Scraps, and 
the Scarecrow, who had never slept in their lives, 
were still wide awake, and regarding their companions 
with astonishment and alarm. The Tin Woodman 
was taking things calmly, oiling up his joints and 
polishing his tin jacket with silver polish. 

“This is no time to sleep,” cried the Scarecrow, 
shaking Sir Hokus. “I say — wake up!” But all 
their efforts to arouse their companions were in vain. 

“En-chant-ment,” said the Copper Man. “Some — ” 
With a click and a whirr Tik Tok’s machinery ran 
down, and as Scraps and the Scarecrow were too upset 
to think of winding him, he stood as silent and dumb 
as the rest. 

“What shall we do?” cried the Scarecrow, seizing 
Scraps’ arm. “Jump out of the window and go for 
help, or stay here and guard the palace?” 

Scraps looked out of the window. “Stay here,” 
shuddered the Patch Work Girl, drawing in her head 
quickly. 

“Then,” said the Scarecrow, “let us arm ourselves 
and prepare to withstand any attack.” He snatched 
up a pair of fire tongs and Scraps grasped the poker. 
Falling into step, the two marched from the top to 
207 


Kabumpo in Oz 


the bottom of the palace. Everywhere the same sight 
met their gaze; rooms turned topsy turvy, and spread 
over floors and sofas and chairs the sleeping figures 
of Ozma’s once lively Courtiers and servants. The 
effect was so distressing that Scraps and the Scare- 
crow found themselves whispering and treading about 
on tip-toe. After inspecting the whole palace they 
returned to Dorothy’s room and placed themselves 
disconsolately in the doorway. 

“Anyway, Ruggedo is quiet,” sighed the Scare-- 
crow, “and that is something.” 

Scraps started to make a verse, but the silence and 
the ghostlike atmosphere of the sleeping palace had 
dashed even the spirits of the Patch Work Girl and 
she subsided with an indistinct mumble. 

Ruggedo was silent for a very good reason. Rug- 
gedo was asleep, too — asleep sitting up as stiff as a 
stone image, for even in his sleep he dreamed of the 
dreaded bombardment of eggs. 

All this had happened because the little man in gray 
had taken Ozma’s palace for an air castle, and who 
could blame him for that? Even the Sand Man would 
not expect to find a regular palace set among the 
clouds. There are plenty of dream castles, to be sure, 
and one of the Sand Man’s chief delights is to jump 
208 



Kabumpo in Oz 


through them and admire their lovely furniture. But 
sure-enough castles— the little fellow could not get 
over it. Sitting cross-legged on the white cloud, which 
floated close to Ruggedo’s head, he stared and stared. 

“Well, I never,” chuckled the Sand Man, and turned 
a somersault for very amazement. Then, not knowing 
what else to do or think, he sensibly decided to hurry 
home and tell the whole affair to his wife. His empty 
bag he found on a tall treetop, and without one back- 
ward glance he bounded into the air and disappeared. 
Really, it was quite lucky the little old gentleman 
spilled his bag of sand where he did, for the only safe 
giant is a sleeping giant, and while Ozma and her 
friends lay dreaming they could not worry. 

“Will they sleep forever?” sighed Scraps, after she 
and the Scarecrow had sat silently for an hour. 

“Seems likely,” said the Scarecrow gloomily. “But 
even if they do,” he plucked three straws from his 
chest, “we shall stick to our post to the very end.” 

The Scarecrow regarded the sleeping figures of the 
little girls affectionately. 

“To the end of forever?” gulped Scraps, putting 
her cotton finger in her mouth. “How long is that?” 

“That,” said the Scarecrow resignedly and settling 
himself comfortably, “that is what we shall soon see.” 

210 



Chapter 16 


Kabumpo Vanquishes The Twigs 

“TV you think you were alive before?” asked Ka- 
-L^bumpo, squinting down his long trunk at Peg 
Amy. She had begged him to take off his plush robe 
and, spreading it on the grass, was beating it briskly 
with the branch of a tree. 

“Yes,” sighed the Wooden Doll, pausing with up- 
lifted stick and regarding Kabumpo solemnly, “I must 
211 


Kabumpo in Oz 


have been alive before ’cause I keep remembering 
things.” 

“What kind of things?” asked the Elegant Ele- 
phant, rubbing himself lazily against a tree. 

“Well, this for instance,” said Peg, holding up a 
corner of the purple plush robe. I once had a dress 
of it. I’m sure I had a dress of this stuff.” 

“When you were a little doll?” asked Kabumpo 
curiously. 

“No,” said Peg, giving the robe a few little shakes, 
“before that. And I remember this country, too, and 
the sun and the wind and the sky. If I’d only been 
alive one day I wouldn’t remember them, would I?” 

“Queer things happen in Oz,” said Kabumpo com- 
fortably. “But why bother? You are alive and very 
jolly. You are traveling with the most Elegant Ele- 
phant in Oz and in the company of a Prince. Isn’t 
that enough?” 

Peg Amy did not reply but kept on beating the 
plush robe with determined little thumps and staring 
off through the trees with a very puzzled expression 
in her painted blue eyes. They had traveled swiftly 
all morning through the fertile farmlands of the 
Winkies and had paused for lunch in this little grove. 
Peg, not needing food, and Kabumpo, finding plenty 
212 


Chapter Sixteen 


of tender branches handy, had remained together 
while Wag and the Prince sought more nourishing 
fare. 

Many a little Winkie farmer had stared in amaze- 
ment as Peg and Pompa passed that morning but so 
fast did Kabumpo and Wag travel that before the 
Winkies were half sure of what they had seen there 
was nothing but a cloud of dust to wonder over and 
exclaim about. 

“If you had a pair of scissors, I could cut off the 
burned part of your robe and make it more tidy,” said 
Peg, when she had finished beating the dust out of 
Kabumpo’s gorgeous blanket. 

“There might be a pair in my pocket,” said the 
Elegant Elephant. “Here, let me get them,” he added 
hastily. “ For suppose she should look into the Magic 
Mirror,” he thought suddenly. “It might tell her 
something terrible!” 

Even in this short time Kabumpo had grown fond 
of queer wooden Peg and careless as he was somehow 
he did not want to hurt her feelings again. Sure 
enough, there was a pair of silver scissors in with the 
jewels he had tumbled into his pocket before leaving 
Pumperdink. So Peg carefully cut away all the 
scorched part of Kabumpo’s robe and pinned under 
213 


Kabumpo in Oz 


the rough edges with three beautiful pearl pins. 

“Now lift me up into that small tree and Fll drop 
it over you,” she laughed gaily. This Kabumpo did 
quite easily and after Peg Amy had smoothed and ad- 
justed the robe, she crept out on the end of the branch 



and straightened the Elegant Elephant’s pearl head 
dress and brushed all the dust from his forehead with 
a handful of damp leaves. 

“You’re a good girl, Peg,” said Kabumpo, sighing 
with contentment. “I don’t care whether you never 
were alive before or not, you’ve more sense thnn some 
214 


Chapter Sixteen 

people who’ve lived for centuries. I’m going to give 
that gnome something on my own account. Dared to 
shake you, did he? Well, wait till I get through shak- 
ing him!” 

“It didn’t hurt,” said Peg reflectively, “but it ruined 



all my clothes. Do you think Prince Pompadore 
minds having me look so shabby?” 

Kabumpo shifted about uneasily. “Will this help?” 
he asked sheepishly, pulling a lovely pearl necklace 
from his pocket. “Ozma doesn’t need everything,” 
he muttered to himself. 


215 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“ Oh ! How perfectly pomif erous ! ” cried Peg. “ Lift 
me down so I can try it on.” In a trice Kabumpo 
swung her down from the tree and awkwardly Peg 
Am y clasped the chain about her wooden neck. Then 
she flung both arms round Kabumpo’s trunk. “You’re 
the biggest darling old elephant in Oz!” cried Peg 
happily. 

Kabumpo blinked. He was accustomed to being 
called elegant and magnificent but no one — not even 
Pompa — had ever called him an old darling before 
and he found he liked it immensely. 

While Peg ran to look at her reflection in a small 
pool he resolved to get the Wooden Doll a position at 
Court, for, in spite of her stiff fingers, Peg was very 
deft and clever. “And she shall have a purple plush 
dress too,” said Kabumpo grandly. 

Just then Pompa and Wag returned in a high good 
humor. The Prince had tapped on the door of a small 
farm house and the little Winkie lady had been most 
hospitable. Not only had she given the Prince all he 
could eat, but she had allowed Wag to go into the 
garden and pick two dozen of her best cabbages. His 
size had greatly astonished her and she had insisted 
upon measuring him twice with her yellow tape meas- 
ure but finally, without revealing the purpose of their 

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voice — Page 221 



Chapter Sixteen 


journey, the two managed to get away. As all were 
now refreshed and rested, they decided to start on 
again. 

“We ought to reach Ev by evening,” puffed Wag, 
between hops. 

“But I wish we could open the Magic Box,” sighed 
Peg, holding on to Wag’s ear, “for in that box there’s 
Flying Fluid!” 

“We’d make a remarkably nice lot of birds,” chuck- 
led Kabumpo, looking over his shoulder, “now 
wouldn’t we?” 

“You would,” laughed Pompa. “What else was in 
the box, Peg?” 

It was hard to talk while they were being jolted 
along, but Peg, being of wood, did not feel the bumps 
and Pompa, being a Prince, pretended not to, so that 
they continued their conversation in jerky sentences. 

“There’s Vanishing Cream, a little tea kettle and 
some kind of rays and a Question Box,” said Peg, hold- 
ing up her wooden hand. “A Question Box that an- 
swers any question you ask it.” 

“There is!” exclaimed Kabumpo, stopping short. 
“Well, I wish we could ask it whether Pumperdink 
has disappeared.” 

“And how to rescue Ozma, and who sent the scroll !” 

217 


Kabumpo in Oz 


cried Pompa. “Oh, do let me try to open it, Peg! 

So Peg handed over Glegg’s Magic Box and as they 
pounded along the Prince tried to pry it open with 
his pearl pen knife. “It would save us such a lot of 
trouble,” he murmured, holding it up and screwing 
his eye to the keyhole. 

“Better let it alone,” advised Wag, wiggling his 
ears nervously. “ Suppose you should grow as big for 
you as I am for me. Suppose you should explode or 
vanish!” 

“Vanish!” coughed Kabumpo. “Great Grump! 
Put it away, Pompa. Wait till we reach Ev and make 
that wicked little Ruggedo open it for us. Who is 
this Glegg, anyway?” 

“A lawless magician, I guess,” said Wag, “or he 
wouldn’t have owned a box of Mixed Magic. Ozma 
doesn’t allow anyone to practice magic, you know.” 

“Why, I’ll bet he was the person who sent the 
scroll!” exclaimed the Prince suddenly. “Don’t you 
remember, Kabumpo, it was signed J. G.?” 

“Not a doubt in the world,” rumbled Kabumpo. 
“Pll throw him up a tree when I catch him and Rug- 
gedo, too!” 

“Oh, please don’t,” begged Peg Amy. “Perhaps 
they are sorry.” 


218 


Chapter Sixteen 

“Not half as sorry as they will be,” wheezed Ka- 
bumpo, plowing ahead through the long grass like a 
big ferryboat under full steam. 

Wag hopped close behind and Peg kept her eyes 
fixed upon Pompa’s back. In spite of his scorched 



head, he seemed to Peg the most delightful Prince 
imaginable. 

‘Til brush off his cloak and cut his hair all evenly,” 
thought Peg. “Then, perhaps Ozma will say yes when 
he tells her his story and asks for her hand. But I 
219 


Kabumpo in Oz 


wonder what will become of me,” Peg sighed ever so 
softly and looked down with distaste at her wooden 
hands and tom old dress. Nothing very exciting could 
happen to a shabby Wooden Doll. 

“Why, I haven’t even any right to be alive,” she 
reflected sadly. “I’m only meant to be funny. Well, 
never mind! Perhaps I can help Pompa and maybe 
that’s why I was brought to life.” 

This thought, and the gleam of the lovely pearls 
Kabumpo had given her, so cheered Peg that she 
began to hum a queer, squeaky little song. The coun- 
try was growing rougher and more hilly every minute. 
The sunny farmlands lay far behind them now and as 
Peg finished her song they came to the edge of a queer, 
dead-looking forest. The trees were dry and without 
leaves and there were quantities of stiff bushes and 
short stunted little trees standing under the taller 
ones. 

Peg had an odd feeling that hundreds of eyes were 
staring out at them but the forest was so dim that 
she couldn’t be sure. There was not a sound but the 
crackling of the dead branches under Wag’s and Ka- 
bumpo’s feet. 

“I don’t like this,” choked Wag. “My weeks and 
hoop soons! What a pleerful chase!” 

220 


Chapter Sixteen 


“It isn’t very cheerful,” shivered Peg. “Oh, look, 
Wag ! That big tree has eyes 1” At Peg’s remark the 
tree doubled up its branches into fists and stepped 
right out in front of them. At the same instant all 
the other trees and bushes moved closer, with dry 
crackling steps. 

“Now we have you!” snapped the tallest tree in a 
dreadful voice. 

“Now we have you!” crackled all the other skitter- 
witchy creatures, crowding closer. 

“ Pigs, pigs, we’re the twigs; 

We’ll tweak your ears and snatch your wigs! ” 

they shouted all together. One taller than the rest 
leaned over and seized Wag by the ear with its 
twisted fingers. 

“Help!” screamed Wag, kicking out with his hind 
legs. Immediately Kabumpo began laying about 
with his trunk. 

“Stand back!” he trumpeted angrily, “or I’ll tram- 
ple you to splinters.” 

Pompa stood up on Kabumpo’s back and began to 
wave his sword threateningly. At this the ugly crea- 
tures grew simply furious. They snatched at the 
Prince with their long, claw-like branches, tearing at 
221 


Kabumpo in Oz 


his sadly scorched hair and almost upsetting him. 

“Stop! Stop!” cried Peg Amy, waving her wooden 
arms frantically. “Don’t hit him. He’s going to be 
married. Hit me, Pm only made of wood!” 

“Don’t you dare hit her!” shrilled Pompa, slicing off 
the branch head of the nearest Twig. “I am a Prince 
and she is under my protection. Don’t touch her!” 

By this time Kabumpo had cleared himself a space 
ahead and Wag a space behind. Every time Kabum- 
po’s trunk flew out, a dozen of the queer crackly 
Bushmen tumbled over forward and every time Wag’s 
heels flew out a dozen crumpled over backward. 
Pompa kept his sword whirling and, after several had 
lost top branches, the whole crowd fell back and began 
grumbling together. 

“Now then!” puffed Kabumpo angrily, “let’s make 
a dash for it, Wag. Come on; we’ll smash them to 
kindling wood!” 

“What’s all this commotion?” cried a loud voice. 
The Twigs fell back immediately and a bent and 
twisted old tree hobbled forward. 

“Strangers, your Woodjesty,” whispered a tall 
Twig, waving a branch at Kabumpo. 

“Well, have you pinched them?” asked the King in 
a bored voice. 


222 


Chapter Sixteen 


“A little,” admitted the tall Twig nervously, “but 
they object to it, your Woodjesty.” 

“Well, what if they do?” rasped the King tartly. 
“Don’t be gormish Faggots. You know I detest gor- 
mishness. It seems to me you might allow my people 
a little innocent diversion,” he grumbled, turning to 
Pompa, “they don’t get much pleasure!” 

“Pleasure!” gasped the Prince, while Kabumpo and 
Wag were so astonished that they forgot to fight. 

“What does he mean by gormish?” whispered Peg 
uneasily to Wag. Before he could answer, the Twigs, 
who evidently had decided not to be gormish, made a 
rush upon the travelers. But Kabumpo was ready for 
them with uplifted trunk. With a furious trumpet he 
charged straight into the middle, Wag at his heels, 
with the result that the Twigs went crackling and 
snapping to the ground in heaps. 

“All we need is a match,” grunted Kabumpo, pound- 
ing along unmindful of the scratching and clawing. 
“They’re good for nothing but kindling wood.” 

“Don’t be gormish,” he screeched scornfully, as he 
flung the last Twig out of his way and Wag and he 
never stopped till they had put a good mile between 
themselves and the disagreeable pinchers. 

“Are you hurt?” asked Kabumpo, stopping at last 
223 


Kabumpo in Oz 


and looking around at Pompa. “If we keep on tips 
way you won’t be fit to be seen — much less to marry. 
Let’s have a look at you.” He lifted the Prince down 
carefully and eyed him with consternation. The 
Prince had seven long scratches on his cheek and his 
velvet cloak was tom to ribbons. 

“I declare,” spluttered the Elegant Elephant ex- 
plosively, “you’re a perfect fright. I declare, it’s a 
grumpy shame!” 

“Well, don’t be gormish,” said the Prince, smiling 
faintly and wiping his cheek with his handkerchief. 

“Let me help,” begged Peg Amy, falling off Wag’s 
back. “Ozma won’t mind a few scratches and what 
do clothes matter? Anyone would know he was a 
Prince,” she added, taking Pompa’s cloak and regard- 
ing it ruefully. 

Pompa smiled at Peg’s earnestness and made her 
his best bow but Kabumpo still looked anxious. 
“Everyone’s not so smart as you, Peg,” he sighed 
gloomily. “But come along. The main thing is to 
rescue Ozma and after that perhaps she won’t notice 
your scratches and tom cloak. She’ll think you got 
them fighting the giant,” he finished more hopefully. 

With a few more of Kabumpo’s jeweled pins Peg 
repaired Pompa’s cloak. Then, after tying up Wag’s 
224 


Chapter Sixteen 


ear, which was badly torn, they started off again. 

“What worries me,” said Wag, twitching his nose 
very fast, “what worries me is Crossing the Deadly 
Desert. We’re almost to it, you know.” 

“Never cross deserts till you come to ’em,” grunted 
Kabumpo, with a wink at Peg Amy. 

“Oh, all right,” sniffed Wag, “but don’t be gormish. 
You know how I detest gormishness!” 

While Pompa and Peg were laughing over these last 
remarks a most terrible rumble sounded behind them. 

“Now what?” trumpeted Kabumpo, turning about. 

“Sheverything’s mixed hup!” gulped Wag, putting 
back his ears. “Hold on to me, Peg!” 



225 



Chapter 17 

Meeting The Runaway Country 


E VERYTHING was mixed up, indeed. Moving 
toward the little party of rescuers was a huge 
jagged piece of land, running along on ten tremendous 
feet and feeling its way with its long wiggly penin- 
sula. The feet raised it several yards above the ground. 

“If we crouch down maybe it will run over us,” 
panted Pompa, sliding down Kabumpo’s trunk. 

226 



Chapter Seventeen 


“I don’t want to be run over,” shrilled Wag, begin- 
ning to hop in a frenzied circle. 

“Stop!” cried the Land in a loud voice, as Wag and 
Kabumpo started to run. 

“Better stop,” puffed Kabumpo, his eyes rolling 


wildly, “or it’ll probably fall on us.” Trembling in 
spite of themselves, they stood still and waited for the 
Land to approach. 

“I’ve often heard of sailors hailing land with joy,” 
gulped Wag, “but this — well, how did it get this 
way?” 


227 


Kabumpo in Oz 


As the Runaway Country drew nearer, its peninsula 
fairly quivered with excitement and as it reached 
them it pulled up its front feet and tilted forward to 
get a better view. Its eyes were two small blue lakes 
and its mouth a broad bubbling river. 

“I claim you by right of discovery,” cried the Land 
in its loud, river voice and before they could make any 
objection it scooped them up neatly and tossed them 
on a little hill. 

“This is outrageous,” spluttered the Elegant Ele- 
phant, picking Peg out of some bushes. “We’ve been 
kidnapped!” 

“Let’s jump off!” cried Wag, beginning to hop to- 
ward the edge. 

“I wouldn’t do that,” said the Land calmly, “be- 
cause I’d only run after you again. You might as well 
settle down and grow up with me. Pm not such a bad 
little Country,” it added quietly, “just a bit rough 
and uncultivated.” 

“Well, what’s that got to do with us,” demanded 
Kabumpo, staring the Country right in its lake-eyes. 
“We’re on an important mission and we haven’t time 
for this sort of thing at all.” 

“It’s a matter of saving a Princess,” cried Pompa 
impulsively. “Couldn’t you, please — ” 

228 


Chapter Seventeen 

“Let someone else save her,” said the Country in- 
differently, beginning to move off sideways like a 
crab. “You’re the first savages I’ve found and I’m 
going to keep you. Not that you’re what I’d pick out,” 
it continued ungraciously. “That wooden girl looks 
uncommonly odd and you two beasts are even queerer. 
But I’m liberal, I am, and the boy looks all right so 
far as I can see.” 

“But, look here,” panted Wag, twitching his nose 
very fast, “this is all wrong. Land is supposed to 
stand still, isn’t it? You’ve no right to discover us. 
We don’t want to be discovered. Put us off at once — 
do you hear?” 

“Yes, I hear,” said the Runaway Country gruffly. 
“And I’ve heard about enough. Don’t anger me,” it 
shrilled warningly. “Remember, I’m a wild, rough 
Country.” 

“You’re the wildest Country I ever saw,” groaned 
the Elegant Elephant, falling up against a tree. “And 
of all ridiculous happenings this is the worst!” 

“Never mind,” whispered Peg Amy, standing on her 
tip toes to whisper in Kabumpo’s huge ear, “it’s tak- 
ing us in the right direction, and maybe, if we were 
very polite — ?” 

“Go ahead and try it,” wheezed Kabumpo, rolling 
229 


Kabumpo in Oz 

his eyes. “I’m too upset.” He hugged the tree agaib. 

So Peg climbed to the top of the little hill and, 
waving her wooden arms to attract the Country’s at- 


tention, called cheerfully: 

“Yoho, Mr. Land! Where are you going?” 



At first the Land only blinked his blue lake-eyes 
sulkily but, as Peg paid no attention to his ill temper 
and began making him pretty compliments on his 
mountains and trees, he gradually cheered up. 

“Pm going to be an island,” he announced finally. 
“That’s where Pm going. Pm tired of being a hot, 
230 


Chapter Seventeen 


dry old undiscovered plateau and I don’t intend to 
stop till I come to the Nonestic Ocean.” 

“Oh!” groaned Wag, falling over backwards. 
“We’re going to be cast away on a desert island.” 

Peg held up a warning finger. “What made you 
want to run away and be an island?” she asked faintly 
for, even to Peg, things looked serious. 

“Well,” began the Land, giving itself a hitch, “I lay 
patiently for years and years waiting to be discovered. 
Nobody came — not even one little missionary. I kept 
getting lonelier and lonelier. You see how broken up 
I am!” 

“ Yes, we can see that, all right,” sniffed Kabumpo. 

“And Pm ambitious,” continued the Country 
huskily. “I want to be cultivated and built up like 
other Kingdoms. So, one day I made up my mind I 
wouldn’t wait any longer but would run off myself 
and discover some settlers. As I have ten mountains 
and each has a foot there seemed to be no reason why 
I shouldn’t run away, so I did — and I have!” 

The Country rolled its lakes triumphantly at the 
little party on the hill. “I have found some settlers 
and Pm looking to you to develop me into a good, 
modem, up-to-Oz Kingdom. Pm a progressive Coun- 
try and I expect you to improve and make something 
231 


Kabumpo in Oz 


out of me,” it continued earnestly. “There’s gold to be 
dug out of my mountains, plenty of good farm land to 
be planted and cities to be built, and — ” 

“What do you think we are?” exploded Kabumpo 
indignantly. “Slaves?” 

“He’ll get used to it in time,” said the Runaway 
Country, paying no attention to Kabumpo, “and he’ll 
be useful for drawing logs. Now you,” he turned his 
watery eyes full on Peg Amy, “you seem to be the 
most sensible one in the party, so I think I shall 
bestow myself upon you. Of course you’re not at all 
handsome nor regular, but from now on you may con- 
sider yourself a Princess and me as your Kingdom.” 

“Thank you! Thank you very much!” said Peg 
Amy, hardly knowing what else to say. 

“Hurrah for the Princess of Runaway Island!” 
cried Wag, standing on his head. “ I always knew you 
were a Princess, Peg my dear.” 

“Oh, hush!” whispered Pompa. “Can’t you see it’s 
getting more reasonable? Maybe Peg can persuade 
it to stop.” 

“If it doesn’t stop soon I’ll tear all its trees out by 
the roots,” grumbled Kabumpo under his breath. 
“Logging, indeed! Great Grump! Here’s the Deadly 
Desert!” 


232 



Chapter Seventeen 


The air was now so hot and choking that Pompa 
flung himself face down on the cool grass. The Run- 
away Country did not seem to notice the burning sands 
and pattered smoothly along on its ten mountain feet. 


“Something has to be done, quick,” breathed Peg, 
clasping her hands, “for soon we’ll be in Ey.” 

Pompa, holding his silk handkerchief before his 
face, had come up beside her and they both looked 
anxiously for the first signs of the country that held 
Ruggedo and the giant who had run off with Ozma’s 
palace. 


233 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“Oh, Mr. Land,” called Peg suddenly. 

“Yes, Princess,” answered the Country, without 
slackening its speed. 

“Have you thought about feeding us?” asked the 
Wooden Doll gently. “I don’t see any fruit trees or 
vegetables or chickens and settlers must eat, you 
know. We ought to have some seeds to plant and 
some building materials, oughtn’t we, if we’re going 
to make you into an up-to-Oz Country ?” 

“Pshaw!” said the Runaway Country, stopping 
with a jolt, “I never thought of that. Can’t you eat 
grass and fish? There’s fine fish in my lakes.” 

“Well, I don’t eat at all,” explained Peg pleas- 
antly, “but Pompa is a Prince and a Prince has to 
have meat and vegetables and puddings on Sunday — ” 

“And I have to have lettuce and carrots and cab- 
bages, or I won’t work!” cried Wag, thumping with 
his hind feet and winking at Kabumpo. “I’ll not dig 
a single mountain!” 

“And I’ve got to have my ton of hay a day, too!” 
trumpeted the Elegant Elephant, “or I’ll not lug a 
single log. Pretty poor sort of a Country you are, 
expecting us to live on grass as if we were donkeys 
and goats.” 

The Runaway Country rolled its lakes helplessly 
234 


Chapter Seventeen 


from one to the other. “I thought settlers always 
managed to get a living o£l the land,” it murmured in 
a troubled voice. 

“Not us!” rumbled Kabumpo. “Not enough pie in 
pioneer to suit this party!” 

“Has your Highness anything to suggest*?” asked 
the Country, looking anxiously at Peg. 

“Well,” said the Wooden Doll slowly, “suppose we 
stop at the first country we come to and stock up. 
We could get a few chickens and seeds and saws and 
hammers and things.” 

“You’d run away,” said the Runaway Country sus- 
piciously. “Not but what I trust you, Princess,” he 
added hastily, “but them.” He scowled darkly at 
Kabumpo and Wag. “Pll not let them out of my 
sight.” 

“How our little floating island loves us,” chuckled 
Wag, nudging the Elegant Elephant. 

“They won’t run away,” said Peg softly. “And if 
they did you could easily catch them again.” 

“That’s so; Pll stop wherever you say,” sighed the 
Country, starting on again. 

“What are you going to do?” whispered Pompa, 
catching Peg’s arm. 

“I don’t know,” said Peg honestly, “but perhaps if 

235 


Kabumpo in Oz 


we can make it stop something will turn up. We’re 
almost across the desert now and that’s a big help.” 

“You’re wonderful!” cried Pompa, eying Peg 
gratefully. “How can I ever thank you?” 

“Better get your sword ready,” said Peg practically, 
“for we may run into that giant any minute now.” 
Even Kabumpo and Wag had stopped making jokes 
and were straining their eyes toward Ev. 

“Let’s all stand together!” gasped Whg breath- 
lessly. Before Peg or Pompa had time to plan, or 
Kabumpo to reply, the Runaway Country stepped off 
the desert and swept over the border and into the 
Kingdom of Ev, making straight for a tall purple 
mountain. 

“Do you see anything that looks like a giant, or a 
palace?” asked Peg, leaning forward. 

“Oh, help!” screamed Wag just then, while Ka- 
bumpo gave an ear-splitting trumpet. Peg grasped 
Pompa and Pompa clutched Peg and no wonder! 
Directly in front of them were the legs and feet of the 
most terrible and tremendous giant they had ever 
imagined. He was sitting on the mountain itself and 
only a part of him was visible, for his head and shoul- 
ders were lost in the clouds. 

“What’s the matter? What’s the matter?” rumbled 
236 



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Chapter Seventeen 

the Runaway Country, tilting forward slightly so it 
could see. One look was enough. With a frightened 
jump, that sent the four travelers hurtling through 
the air, it began running backwards and in a moment 
was out of sight. 

Peg was the first to recover her senses. Being 
wood, bumps didn’t bother her. She rose stiffly and 
gazed around her. Pompa’s feet were waving feebly 
from a small clump of bushes. Kabumpo stood sway- 
ing near by, while Wag lay over on his side with closed 
eyes. 

“Oh, you poor dears!” murmured Peg, and running 
over to the bushes she pulled out the Prince of Pum- 
perdink and settled him with his back against a tree. 
He was much shaken by his high dive from the island, 
but pulled himself together and patted Peg’s wooden 
hand kindly. By this time Kabumpo had gotten his 
bearings and came wabbling over. 

“You’ve got a black eye, I see,” wheezed the Ele- 
gant Elephant bitterly. 

“Not so very black,” said Peg cheerfully. “Are 
you hurt, Kabumpo?” 

The Elegant Elephant felt himself all over with his 
trunk. “Well, I’m not used to being flung about like 
a bean bag,” he said irritably. Then he lowered his 
237 


Kabumpo in Oz 


voice hastily, as he caught another glimpse of those 
dreadful giant feet. “I’ll go help Wag,” he whispered, 
backing away quickly. 

It took some time to rouse the giant rabbit, but 
finally he opened his eyes. “I shought I thaw a 
giant,” he muttered thickly. “Hush!” warned Ka- 
bumpo. “He’s over there.” He waved his trunk in 
the direction of the mountain and began dragging 
Wag firmly away. 

“C’mon over here,” he called in a loud whisper to 
Peg and Pompa. Leaning heavily on Peg Amy the 
Prince came. Then he gave a cry of distress. “My 
sword!” he gasped, staring around a bit wildly. 

“I’ll find it,” said Peg obligingly. “You sit still 
and rest.” 

“Where’s the Magic Box?” coughed Kabumpo, with 
an uneasy glance in the giant’s direction. 

Now that they were actually in Ev, the Elegant 
Elephant began to doubt the wisdom of his plan for 
killing the monster. 

“Gone!” wailed Pompa, feeling in his pocket. “I 
dropped it when I fell off the Land. What shall we 
do, Kabumpo?” 

“Don’t be a Gooch,” gulped the Elegant Elephant, 
but he said it without spirit. 

238 


Chapter Seventeen 


“It’s probably around here somewhere.” Moving 
quietly, Kabumpo began to poke about with his trunk. 

Just then Peg Amy came flying toward them, her 
ragged dress fluttering in the breeze. 

“Look!” whispered the Wooden Doll, dropping on 
her knees before them. 

In her hands was Glegg’s Box of Mixed Magic and 
it was open! 



239 



Chapter 18 


Prince Pompadore Proposes 

W HILE Peg and Pompa and the Elegant Elephant 
eyed the box, Wag, twitching his nose and mum- 
bling very fast under his breath, backed rapidly away. 
He was not going to run the risk of any more explo- 
sions. So anxious was the big rabbit to put a good 
distance between himself and Glegg’s Mixed Magic, 
that he never realized that he was backing toward the 
240 


Chapter Eghteen 


giant till a sharp thump on the back of the head 
brought him up short. 

Trembling in every hair, Wag looked over his 
shoulder. Stars! He had run into the terrible, five- 
toed foot of the giant himself. At first Wag was too 
terrified to move. But suddenly the hair on the back 
of his neck bristled erect. He peered at the giant’s 
foot more attentively. His eyes snapped and, seizing 
a stout stick that lay near by, he brought it down with 
all his might on the giant’s toes. 

“It’s Ruggedo!” screamed Wag, hopping up and 
down with rage. “And I’ll pound his curly toes off. 
I don’t care if he is a giant! I’ll pound his curly toes 
off!” 

The stick whistled through the air and whacked the 
giant’s toes again. 

How of course we have known all along that the 
giant was Ruggedo, but it was a great surprise for 
the rescuers. Ruggedo was bad enough to deal with 
as a gnome — but a giant Ruggedo! Horrors! 

“Stop him! Stop him!” cried Peg Amy, throwing 
up her hands and scattering the contents of the box 
of magic in every direction. 

“What are you trying to do?” roared Kabumpo, 
plunging forward. “Get us all trampled on?” 

241 


Kabumpo in Oz 


A muffled cry came down from the clouds and, as 
Kabumpo dragged Wag back by the ear, something 
flashed through the air and bounced upon the Elegant 
Elephant’s head. 

“It’s the Scarecrow!” chattered Wag, wriggling 
from beneath Kabumpo’s trunk. Kabumpo opened 
his eyes and peered down at the limp bundle at his 
feet. As he looked the bundle began to pull itself 
together. It sat up awkwardly and began clutching 
itself into shape. 

“ Where’d you come from?” gasped the Elegant Ele- 
phant. Without speaking, the Scarecrow waved his 
hand upward and rose unsteadily to his feet. Then, 
catching sight of Peg Amy and Pompadore, the Straw 
Man bowed politely. Meanwhile Wag, seeing that 
Kabumpo’s attention was diverted, began to sidle 
back toward Ruggedo. 

“Stop!” cried the Scarecrow, running after him. 
“Are you crazy? Don’t you know Ozma’s palace is 
on his head? Every time he moves everyone in the 
palace tumbles about. Was it you who stirred him up 
and made him spill me out of the window?” 

“I’ll wake him up some more, the wicked old 
scrabble-scratch,” muttered Wag, but Kabumpo 
jerked him back roughly. 

242 






The Scarecrow waved his hand upward 


/ 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“Great Grump!” choked the Elegant Elephant, 
shaking Wag in his exasperation. “Here we’ve come 
all this way to save Princess Ozma and now you want 
to upset everything.” 

“That’s the way to do it,” said the Scarecrow, rolling 
his eyes wildly. 

“Please stop it, Wag,” begged Peg Amy, throwing 
her wooden arms around the big rabbit’s neck, and as 
Pompa added his voice to Peg’s, Wag finally threw 
down his stick. 

“Who is that beautiful girl?” asked the Scarecrow 
of Kabumpo. The Elegant Elephant looked at the 
Straw Man sharply, to see that he was not poking fun 
at the Wooden Doll. Finding he was quite serious, he 
said proudly, “That’s Peg Amy, the best little body 
in Oz. She’s under my protection,” he added grandly. 

Just then Pompa and Peg came over and Wag, who 
had often seen the Scarecrow in the Emerald City, 
introduced them all. 

“Did I understand you to say you had come to res- 
cue Ozma?” asked the Scarecrow, who could not keep 
his eyes off the Elegant Elephant. 

“Did I understand you to say Ozma’s palace was 
on Ruggedo’s head?” shuddered Kabumpo, glancing 
fearfully in the direction of the mountain. 

244 


Chapter Eighteen 

The Scarecrow nodded vigorously and told in a few 
words of their terrible journey to Ev and their present 
perilous position. How the palace had gotten on Rug- 
gedo’s head, he admitted was a puzzle to him. Ka- 
bumpo and Pompadore listened with amazement, 
especially to the part where they had threatened 
Ruggedo with eggs. 

“And he’s kept still for two days just on account 
of eggs?” gasped the Elegant Elephant incredulously. 

“Well, no,” admitted the Scarecrow, wrinkling up 
his forehead. “A little man came flying through the 
air the first morning and bumped into the palace and 
instantly everyone except Scraps and me fell asleep. 
Ruggedo was put to sleep, too; we could hear him 
snoring.” 

“Why, it must have been the Sand Man,” breathed 
Peg Amy. “I have heard he lived near here.” 

“Are they asleep now?” asked Pompa, clutching 
the Scarecrow’s arm. How romantic — thought the 
Prince of Pumperdink — to rescue and waken a sleep- 
ing Princess 1 

But the Scarecrow shook his head. “A few minutes 
before I fell out they began to wake up and Pd just 
gone to the window to look for Glinda when Ruggedo 
gave a howl and ducked his head and here I fell.” 

245 


Kabumpo in Oz 


The Scarecrow spread his hands eloquently and smiled 
at Peg. 

“Has Glinda been here?” asked Kabumpo jealously. 

“Yes,” said the Scarecrow. “She came this morn- 
ing and she’s been trying all sorts of magic to reduce 
Ruggedo without harm to the palace.” 

“Great Grump! Do you hear that?” Kabumpo 
rolled his eyes anxiously toward the Prince. “If 
Glinda’s magic takes effect before ours then where’ll 
we be? Peg! Peg! Where’s the box of Mixed 
Magic?” 

“Would you mind telling me,” burst out the Scare- 
crow, who had been examining one after another in 
the party with a puzzled expression, “ would you mind 
telling me how you happened to know about the palace 
disappearing; how you got across the sandy desert; 
how you expect to help us; how he (with a jerk at 
Wag) came to be too large; how she (with a jerk of 
his thumb at Peg) came to be alive; and — ” 

“All in good time; all in good time!” trumpeted 
Kabumpo testily. “You sound like the Curious Cot- 
tabus! The principal thing to do now is to save Ozma. 
Will Ruggedo stay quiet a little longer?” 

“If he’s not disturbed,” said the Scarecrow, with a 
meaning glance at Wag. 

246 


Chapter Eighteen 


“Well, my hocks and woop soons!” cried the rabbit 
indignantly. “Isn’t anyone going to punish him? He 
shook and shook Peg and he meddled with magic and 
blew up into a giant. He’s run off with the palace. 
Doesn’t he deserve a pounding?” 

“Friend,” said the Scarecrow, “I admire your spirit 
but my excellent brains tell me that this is a case 
where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of 
cure. But have we the ounce of prevention?” 

“Here’s the Question Box,” announced Peg, who 
had run off at Kabumpo’s first call. “What shall we 
ask it first?” 

“How to save the lovely Princess of Oz,” spoke up 
Pompa, running his hand over his scorched locks. 
“Where’s my crown, Kabumpo?” 

Kabumpo fished the crown from his pocket and 
Pompa set it gravely upon his head as Peg asked the 
Question Box: 

“How shall we save the lovely Princess of Oz?” 

These maneuvers so astonished the Scarecrow that 
he lost his balance and fell flat on his nose. When he 
recovered Peg was clapping her wooden hands and 
Kabumpo was dancing on three legs. 

“You’re as good as married, my boy!” cried Ka- 
bumpo, thumping the Prince upon the back. 

247 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“What is it? What’s happened?” gasped the 
Scarecrow. 

“Why, the Question Box says to pour three drops 
of Trick Tea on Ruggedo’s left foot and two on his 
right and he will , then march back to the Emerald 
City, descend into his cave and, after the palace has 
settled firmly on its foundations, he will shrink down 
to his former size,” read Peg Amy, holding the Ques- 
tion Box close to her eyes, for the printing was very 
small. 

“Hurrah!” cried the Scarecrow, throwing up his 
hat. “Peggy, put the kettle on and we’ll all have 
some tea! But where’d you get all this magic stuff?” 
he asked immediately after. 

“Out of a box of Mixed Magic,” puffed Kabumpo, 
his little eyes twinkling with anticipation as he 
watched Peg. First she filled the tiny kettle at a 
near-by brook; then she lit the little lamp and dropped 
some of the Trick Tea into the kettle. Bright pink 
clouds arose from the kettle, as soon as Peg had set it 
over the flame, and while they waited for it to boil 
Pompa put another question. 

“Has Pumperdink disappeared?” asked the Prince, 
in a trembling voice. 

“N-o,” spelled the Question Box slowly, and Ka- 
248 








mm 




Ruggedo, tramping like a giant in a dream, back to the Emerald 

City — Page 253 


Chapter Eighteen 


bumpo settled back with a great sigh of relief. 

“I told you everything would be all right if you 
followed my advice,” said the Elegant Elephant. 
“Stand up now and try to forget your black eye. You 
are the Prince of Pumperdink and I am the Elegant 
Elephant of Oz.” 

“But why all the ceremony?” asked the Scarecrow, 
looking mystified. 

Kabumpo only chuckled to himself and, as the Trick 
Tea was now ready, Peg took the little kettle and 
began to tip-toe toward Ruggedo. 

“I hope it’s red hot,” grumbled Wag resentfully. 
“He’s getting off easy, the old scrabble-scratch ! Get- 
ting off! Say, look here!” He gestured violently to 
Kabumpo. “If Ruggedo returns to the Emerald City 
with the palace on his head, where does Pompa come 
in?” He pointed a trembling paw at the Prince, his 
nose- twitching so fast it made the Scarecrow blink. 

“Stop!” trumpeted the Elegant Elephant, plunging 
after Peg Amy. He reached her just in time. 

“I’m no better than Pumper,” grunted Kabumpo, 
mopping his brow with the tail of his robe. “ Suppose, 
after all our hardships, I had allowed Ozma and the 
palace to get away without giving Pompa a chance to 
ask her — ” 


3 49 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“But we ought to save her as quick as we can,” 
ventured Peg. “Couldn’t we hurry back to the Em- 
erald City again?” 

“It might be too late,” wheezed Kabumpo. “Let — 
me — see!” 



“Hello!” cried the Scarecrow. “Here comes 
Clinda.” As he spoke the swan chariot of the good 
Sorceress floated down beside the little party. 

“Bother!” groaned Kabumpo, as Glinda stepped 
out. 


250 


Chapter Eighteen 


“Some strangers,” called the Scarecrow, gleefully 
running toward Glinda, “some strangers with a box 
of Mixed Magic trying to help.” 

“If we could have a few words with Ozma,” put in 
the Elegant Elephant hastily, “everything would be 
all right.” 

Glinda looked at Kabumpo gravely. “It’s unlawful 
to practice magic. You must know that,” said the 
Sorceress sternly. 

“But it’s not our magic, your Highness,” explained 
Peg Amy, setting down the little kettle. “We found 
it, and we’re only trying to help Ozma.” 

“Well, in that case,” Glinda could not help smiling 
at the Wooden Doll’s quaint appearance, “I shall be 
glad to assist you, as all of my magic has proved 
useless.” 

“Aren’t you the Prince of Pumperdink?” she asked, 
nodding toward Pompa. The Prince bowed in his 
most princely fashion and assured her that he was 
and, after a few hasty explanations, Glinda promised 
to bring Ozma down in her chariot. 

“Tell her,” trumpeted Kabumpo impressively, as 
the chariot rose in the air, “tell her that a young 
Prince waits below!” 

While Pompa was still looking after Glinda’s 
251 


Kabumpo in Oz 


chariot, Peg Am y came up to him and extended both 
her wooden hands. 

“I wish you much happiness, Pompa dear ” said the 
Wooden Doll in a low voice. 

Pompa pressed Peg’s hands gratefully. “If it 
hadn’t been for you I’d never have succeeded. You 
shall have everything you wish for now, Peg. Why, 
where are you going?” 

“Good-bye!” called Peg Amy, trying to keep her 
voice as cheerful as her painted face, and before any- 
one could stop her she began to run toward a little 
grove of trees. 

“Come back!” cried the Prince, starting after her. 

“Come back!” trumpeted Kabumpo in alarm. 

“Pll get her!” coughed Wag, hopping forward jeal- 
ously. “I’ve known her the longest.” 

Pompa and Kabumpo both started to run, too, but 
just at that minute down swooped the chariot and out 
jumped Ozma, the lovely little Ruler of Oz. 

“At last!” gasped Kabumpo, pushing Pompa for- 
ward. 

If Ozma was startled by their singular appearance, 
she was too polite to say so, and she returned Pompa’s 
deep bow with a still deeper curtsey. 

“Glinda tells me you have come a long, long way 
252 


Chapter Eighteen 


just to help me,” said Ozma anxiously. “Is that so?” 

“Princess!” cried Pompa, falling on his knee. “I 
know you are worried about your palace and your 
Courtiers and your friends. Two drops of that Triple 
Trick Tea (he waved at the small kettle) upon Rug- 
gedo’s right foot and three on his left will set every- 
thing right ! ” 

“But where did you get it — and why?” Ozma 
looked doubtfully at the Scarecrow. 

“Might as well try it,” advised the Scarecrow. 

“We will explain everything later,” puffed the Ele- 
gant Elephant. “Trust old Kabumpo, your Highness, 
and everything will turn out happily.” 

“I believe I will,” smiled Ozma. “Will you try the 
Trick Tea, Glinda?” 

Glinda took the kettle and poured it exactly as 
directed. First Ruggedo gave a gusty sigh that blew 
the clouds about in every direction. 

“Look out!” warned Glinda. 

Next instant they all fluttered down like a pack of 
cards, for Ruggedo had taken a step — a giant step 
that shook the earth as if it had been a block of 
jelly — and when they had picked themselves up Rug- 
gedo was out of sight, tramping like a giant in a 
dream, back toward the Emerald City. 

253 


Kabumpo in Oz 

“You wait here!” cried Glinda to Ozma. “And I’ll 
follow him!” She sprang into her chariot. 

“How do you know he’ll go back?” asked the little 
Ruler of Oz, staring with straining eyes for a glimpse 
of the giant. 

“Because the Question Box said so,” chuckled Ka- 
bumpo triumphantly. 

“Good magic!” approved the Scarecrow. “But 
where is that charming Peg? I think I’ll run find 
her.” 

No sooner had the Scarecrow disappeared than 
Pompa, swallowing very hard, again approached 
Ozma. But Ozma, still looking after Glinda’s vanish- 
ing chariot, was hardly aware of the Prince of Pum- 
perdink. 

Poor Pompa dropped on his knee (which had a 
large hole in it by this time) and began mumbling 
indistinct sentences. Then, as Kabumpo frowned 
with disgust, the Prince burst out desperately, “ Prin- 
cess, will you marry me?” 

“ Marry you ? ” gasped the little Ruler of Oz. “ Good 
gracious, wo/” 


254 



Chapter 19 


Ozma Takes Things In Hand 


P RINCE POMP ADORE jumped up quickly. 

“I told you she wouldn’t!” he choked, looking 
reproachfully at Kabumpo. “I’m not half good 
enough.” 

“He doesn’t always look so scratched up and 
shabby,” wheezed Kabumpo breathlessly. “We’ve 
been scorched and pinched and kidnapped. We’ve 
255 


Kabumpo in Oz 


been through every kind of hardship to save your 
Highness — and now!” The Elegant Elephant slouched 
against a tree, the picture of discouragement. He 
seemed to have forgotten the jewels that were to have 
won the Princess for Pompa and his threat of running 
off with her should she refuse him. 

“Why, you don’t even know me,” cried Ozma, dis- 
mayed by even the thought of marrying; for though 
the little Ruler of Oz has lived almost a thousand years 
she is no older than you are and would no more think 
of marrying than Dorothy or Betsy Bobbin or Trot. 
Ruling the Kingdom of Oz takes almost all of Ozma’s 
time and in any that is left she wants to play and 
enjoy herself like any other sensible little girl. For 
Ozma is only a little girl fairy after all. 

“Pm not going to marry anybody I” she declared 
stoutly. Then, because she really was touched by 
Pompa’s woebegone appearance, she asked more 
kindly, “Why did you want to marry me especially?” 

“Because you are the properest Princess in Oz,” 
groaned the Prince, leaning disconsolately against 
Kabumpo. “Because if we don’t Pumperdink will 
disappear and my poor old father and my mother and 
everyone.” 

“Not to speak of us,” gulped the Elegant Elephant. 

256 


Chapter Nineteen 

“But where is Pumperdink, and who said it would 
disappear?” asked Ozma in amazement. “And how 
did you happen to have this Trick Tea and come to 
rescue me?” 

“The Prince always rescues the Princess he intends 
to marry,” said Kabumpo wearily. “I should think 
you’d know that.” 

“Well, Pm very grateful, and Pll do anything I can 
except marry you,” exclaimed Ozma, who was begin- 
ning to feel very much interested in this strange 
pair. 

“Thank you,” said Kabumpo stiffly, for he was 
deeply offended. “Thank you, but we must be going. 
Come along, Pompa.” 

“Don’t be a Gooch I” This time it was Pompa who 
spoke. “Pm going to tell her everything!” 

And Pompa, being as I have told you before the 
most charming Prince in the world, made Ozma a 
comfortable throne of green boughs and, throwing 
himself at her feet, poured out the whole story of 
their adventures, beginning with the birthday party 
and the mysterious scroll. He told of their meeting 
with Peg Amy and Wag and ended up with the ride 
upon the Runaway Country. 

Kabumpo stood by, swaying sulkily. He was very 
257 


Kabumpo in Oz 

much disappointed in the Princess of Oz. He felt that 
she had no proper appreciation of his or Pompa’s 
importance. 

“I’m going to find Peg,” he called finally. “She’s 
got more sense than any of you,” he wheezed under 
his breath as he swept grandly out of sight. 

Ozma put both hands to her head as Pompa finished 
his recital and really it was enough to puzzle any 
fairy. Scrolls, live Wooden Dolls, a giant rabbit, a 
mysterious magician threatening disappearances and 
Ruggedo’s wicked use of the box of Mixed Magic. 

“Goodness!” cried the little Ruler of Oz. “I wish 
the Scarecrow would come back. He’s so clever Pm 
sure he could help us; but first you had better bring 
me the magic box.” 

Pompa rose slowly and, picking up all the little 
flasks and boxes that had spilled out when Wag 
pounded Ruggedo, he put them back into the casket 
and handed it to Ozma. She examined the contents 
as curiously as the others had done. The Expanding 
Extract was the only thing missing, for Ruggedo had 
poured the whole bottle over his head. The Question 
Box seemed to Ozma the most wonderful of all of 
Glegg’s magic. 

“Why, all we have to do is to ask this box ques- 
258 


Chapter Nineteen 


tions,” she cried in excitement. “Has my palace 
reached the Emerald City?” she asked breathlessly. 

“Shake it three times,” said Pompa, as Ozma looked 
in vain for her answer. 

“Yes,” stated the box after the third shake, and 
Ozma sighed with relief. 

“I suppose you asked it if I were the Proper Prin- 
cess mentioned in the scroll,” she said, a bit shyly. 

The Prince shook his head. “Knew without ask- 
ing,” said Pompa heavily. 

“Do you mean to say you never asked it that?” 
gasped Ozma in disbelief. “Why, I am surprised at 
you.” And before Pompa could object she shook the 
little box briskly. “Who is the Princess that Pompa 
must marry?” she demanded anxiously. 

“The Princess of Sun Top Mountain,” flashed the 
Question Box promptly. Then, as an afterthought, 
it added, “Trust the mirror and golden door knob!” 

“Now, you see!” cried Ozma, jumping up in de- 
light. “I wasn’t the Proper Princess at all!” 

Pompa smiled faintly, but without enthusiasm. The 
thought of hunting another Princess was almost too 
much. “I wish I could just ta,ke Peg Amy and Wag 
and go back to Pumperdink without marrying any- 
body,” he choked bitterly. 

259 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“Now, don’t give up,” advised Ozma kindly. “It 
was very wrong of Glegg to cause you all this trouble. 
Tm going to keep his box of Mixed Magic and take 
away all his powers when I find him, but until I do, 
you’ll have to follow directions. Oh mercy! What’s 
that?” 

They both ducked and turned around in a hurry, 
as a terrific thumping sounded behind them. 

“It’s the Runaway Country again,” cried Pompa, 
seizing Ozma’s hands in distress, “and it’s caught all 
the others.” 

The Scarecrow had climbed a tree, and was waving 
to them wildly as the Country galloped nearer. 
“Might as well come aboard,” he called genially. 
“This is a fast Country — no arguing with it at all.” 

Ozma looked helplessly at Pompa, and the Prince 
had only time to grasp her more firmly when the 
Country scooped them neatly into the air. Down 
they tumbled, beside Peg Amy and Wag and the Ele- 
gant Elephant. 

“What do you mean by this?” demanded Ozma, as 
soon as she regained her breath. 

“Don’t you know this lady is the Ruler of all Oz?” 
cried Pompa wamingly. 

“Peg’s the Ruler of me,” replied the Country 
260 


Chapter Nineteen 


calmly. “I nearly lost her once, but now I’ve caught 
her and all the rest, and I am not going to stop until 
Pve reached the Nonestic Ocean — giants or no 
giants.” 

Ozma had been somewhat prepared for the Run- 
away Country by Pompa’s description, but she had 
never dreamed it would dare to run off with her. 
While Peg Amy began to coax it to stop, she took out 
Glegg’s little Question Box. 

“How shall I stop this Country?” she whispered 
anxiously. 

“Spin around six times and cross your fingers,” 
directed the Question Box. 

This Ozma proceeded to do, much to the agitation 
of the Scarecrow, who thought she had taken leave 
of her senses. But next instant the Country came to 
a jolting halt. 

“Peg, Princess Peg!” shrieked the Island. “I am 
bewitched, I can’t move a step!” 

“Then everybody off,” shouted the Scarecrow, jerk- 
ing a branch of a tree as if he were a conductor. 
“End of the line — everybody off!” And they lost 
no time tumbling off the wild little Country. 

“It seems too bad to leave it,” said Peg Amy re- 
gretfully, picking herself up. 

261 


Kabumpo in Oz 

“It threw us off without any feeling or considera- 
tion when it saw Ruggedo,” sniffed Kabumpo. 
“Therefore it has no claims on us whatsoever.” 

“But couldn’t you do something for it?” asked Peg, 
approaching Ozma timidly. “It’s so tired of being a 
plateau. Couldn’t you let it be an island, and find 
someone to settle on it? I wouldn’t mind going,” she 
added generously. 

“You shall do nothing of the sort,” cried Kabumpo 
angrily. “You’re going back to Pumperdink with 
Pompa and me.” 

“She’s going with me,” cried Wag. “Aren’t you, 
Peg?” 

“ You seem to be a very popular person,” smiled 
Ozma. “While a Country has no right to run away, 
and while I never heard of one doing it before, I’ve 
no objections to its being an island. It’s running off 
with people I object to.” She looked the Country 
sternly in its lake-eyes. 

“But I can’t move,” screamed the Country, tears 
streaming down its hill, “and I’ve got to have some- 
body to settle me.” 

“Oh! Here’s Glinda,” shouted the Scarecrow, toss- 
ing up his hat. “Now we shall know what’s happened 
to Ruggedo.” 


262 


Chapter Nineteen 


Leaving the Country for a moment, they all ran to 
welcome the good Sorceress of Oz. Glinda’s reports 
were most satisfactory. Ruggedo had walked straight 
back to the Emerald City, stepped into the yawning 
cavern, and immediately the palace had settled firmly 
upon its old foundations. Then had come a muffled 
explosion, and when Glinda and Dorothy ran through 
the secret passage, which had been discovered mean- 
while by the Soldier with the Green Whiskers, they 
saw Ruggedo, shrunken to his former size, sitting 
angrily on his sixth rock of history. 

“I have locked him up in the palace,” finished 
Glinda, “and I strongly advise your Highness to 
punish him severely.” 

Ozma sighed. “What would you do?” she asked, 
appealing to the Scarecrow. So many things had come 
up for her attention and advice in the last few hours 
that the little fairy ruler felt positively dizzy. 

“Let’s all sit down in a circle and think,” proposed 
the Scarecrow cheerfully. This they all did except 
Kabumpo, who stood 1 off glumly by himself. Peg was 
looking anxiously at Pompadore, for the Elegant Ele- 
phant had told her of Ozma’s refusal, and wondering 
sadly what she could do to help, when the Scarecrow 
bounced up impulsively. 


263 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“I have it,” chuckled the Straw Man. “Let’s send 
Ruggedo off on the Runaway Country. He deserves 
to be banished and, if Ozma makes the Country an 
Island, he can do no harm.” 

Here Ozma had to stop and explain to GHinda about 
the Country that wanted to be an Island, and after a 
short consultation they decided to take the Scare- 
crow’s advice. 

“Just as soon as I reach the Emerald City I’ll put 
on my Magic Belt and wish him onto the Island,” 
declared Ozma. “And I think we’d better go right 
straight back,” she added thoughtfully, “for it’s grow- 
ing darker every minute and Dorothy will be anxious 
to hear everything that’s happened.” 

“Now you” — Ozma tapped Pompadore gently on 
the arm — “You must start at once for Sun Top Moun- 
tain. Pm going to ask the Question Box just where 
it is.” 

Pompa sighed deeply, and when Ozma consulted 
the Question Box as to the location of Sun Top Moun- 
tain, it stated that this Kingdom was in the very 
centre of the North Winkie Country. “That’s fine,” 
said Ozma, clapping her hands. “Pll have the Run- 
away Country carry you over the Deadly Desert, and 
as soon as you have married the Princess you must 
264 









TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN THE LOVLIEST CASTLE YOU COULD 

imagine — Page 276 


At the 




















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r* 




» 

t 




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Chapter Nineteen 


bring her to see me in the Emerald City.” 

“What's all this?” demanded Kabumpo, pricking 
up his ears. 

“The Question Box says I must marry the Princess 
of Sun Top Mountain,” said Pompa, getting up 
wearily. 

“Well, Great Grump, why couldn’t it have said so 
before?” asked Kabumpo shrilly. 

“You never asked it,” snapped Wag, twitching his 
nose. “I told you Ozma wasn’t the Princess men- 
tioned in the scroll 1” 

“Now don’t quarrel,” begged Peg Amy, jumping up 
hastily. “There’s still plenty of time to save Pumper- 
dink. Come along, Pompa.” 

“That’s right,” said Ozma, smiling approvingly at 
Peg. “And when Pompa finds his Princess you must 
come and live with me in the Emerald City, for as 
Ruggedo was responsible for bringing you to life, I 
want to take care of you always.” 

Peg Amy dropped a curtsey and promised to come, 
but she didn’t feel very cheerful about it. Then as 
Ozma was anxious to get back to the Emerald City, 
they all hurried to Runaway Country. 

“You are to take these travelers across the Deadly 
Desert,” said Ozma, addressing the Runaway Country 
265 


Kalbumpo in Oz 


quite sternly, “and you are to set them down in the 
Winkie Country. If you do this I will restore your 
moving power again and give you a little gnome for 
King. Then you may run off to the Nonestic Ocean 
as soon as ever you wish.” 

“I want Peg,” pouted the Country, “but if that’s 
the best you can do I suppose I’ll have to stand it.” 
After a little more grumbling it agreed to Ozma’s 
terms. Wearily, Kabumpo, Wag, Peg and Pompa 
climbed aboard and then Ozma spun around six times 
in the opposite direction and immediately the Country 
found itself able to move again. 

“Good-bye!” called Ozma, as she and the Scarecrow 
jumped into Glinda’s chariot. “Good-bye and good 
luck!” 

“ Good-bye ! ” called Peg, waving her old tom bonnet. 

“Good riddance,” grumbled the Country gruffly and, 
turning sideways, began running toward the Deadly 
Desert. 


266 



Chapter 20 

The Proper Princess Is Found! 

“TS the mirror safe, and have you still got the gold 
J-door knob ?” asked Pompa, as the Country swung 
out onto the Deadly Desert. “The Question Box said 
I was to trust them, you know.” 

“And by what right did Ozma take that box?” 
wheezed Kabumpo irritably, as he felt in his pocket 
to see whether the magic articles were still there. 
267 



Kabumpo in Oz 


“That’s gratitude for you! We find Glegg’s box of 
Mixed Magic and rescue her, and off she goes with all 
our magic, leaving us to the tender mercies of a Run- 
away Country!” 

“You find the box!” shrilled Wag. “Well, I like 
that!” 

“Oh, what difference does it make?” groaned 
Pompa, stretching out upon the ground. They were 
all completely exhausted by the day’s adventures and 
as cross as three sticks — all except Peg Amy, who 
never was cross. 

“I shall marry this Princess and save my country, 
but Pm going away as soon as the wedding is over and 
spend the rest of my life in travel,” announced Pompa 
gloomily. 

“Don’t blame you,” rumbled the Elegant Elephant 
with a sniff. 

“Ah, now!” laughed Peg. “That doesn’t sound like 
you, Pompa. Why, maybe this Princess will be so 
lovely you’ll want to carry her straight back to Pum- 
perdink.” 

“I think Princesses are a great bore,” said Wag 
with a terrific yawn. “I prefer plain folks like Peg 
and the Scarecrow.” 

“You’re all hungry, that’s what’s the matter,” 
268 


Chapter Twenty 


chuckled the Wooden Doll. “When you’ve had some 
supper you’ll be just as anxious to find the Princess of 
Sun Top Mountain as you were to find Ozma. Here’s 
the Winkie Country now, and there’s a star for good 
luck.” 

Peg waved toward the green fields with one hand 
and toward the clouds with the other. It was drak 
now and just one star twinkled cheerily in the sky. 

“Pll set you down, but Pm not going away,” said 
the Runaway Country determinedly, “for if that little 
old gnome doesn’t turn up I’m going to catch you all 
again.” 

“Ozma never forgets. She’ll keep her promise,” 
said Peg. “ And you must do just as she told you to do 
for she has some powerful magic and can send you 
right back to where you came from.” 

“Can she?” gulped the Country anxiously. 

“You might wait a while, though,” suggested 
Pompa darkly. “After I’ve seen this new Princess a 
Runaway Country might be a very good thing.” 

“Well, you can’t expect her to marry you if you 
talk that way,” said Peg warningly, as the Country 
came to a stop in a huge field of daisies. 

“I’ll wait,” it said hopefully, as the four travelers 
swung themselves down. 


269 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“I wonder if we are in the North Central part,” 
murmured Peg Amy, looking around anxiously. Now 
it happened the Country had crossed the Deadly 
Desert slantwise and although none of the party knew 
it they were scarcely a mile from Sun Top Mountain. 

“I see a garden!” cried Wag, twitching his nose 
hungrily. “Come on, Prince, let’s find some supper.” 
With head down and dragging his feet, Pompa fol- 
lowed Wag. Kabumpo began jerking snappishly at 
some tree tops and Peg Am y sat down to think. 

“I wish,” thought the Wooden Doll, looking up at 
the bright star, “I wish I might have asked the box 
one little question.” Peg Amy looked so solemn that 
Kabumpo stopped eating and regarded her anxiously. 

“What’s the matter?” asked the Elegant Elephant 
gruffly, for he quite counted on Peg’s cheerfulness. 

“I was thinking about it again,” admitted Peg 
apologetically. “About being alive before. I’m sure 
I was alive before I was a doll, Kabumpo. I think I 
was a person, like Pompa,” she continued softly. 

“ You’re much better as you are,” said the Elegant 
Elephant uneasily, for it had just occurred to him that 
the Magic Mirror would tell Peg who she was as well 
as the Question Box. But should he let her look in 
it? That was the question. Poor, tired old Kabumpo 
270 


Chapter Twenty 


shifted from one foot to the other as he tried to make 
up his mind. Two huge drops of perspiration ran 
down his trunk. What good would it do? he reasoned 
finally. Suppose it told something awful! It couldn’t 
change her and it might make her unhappy. No, he 
would not let Peg look in the mirror. 

“How would you like to have this pearl bracelet ?” 
he asked in an embarrassed voice. 

“Why, Kabumpo, I’d just adore it!” cried Peg, 
springing up in a hurry. “And Pm not going to 
worry about being alive any more, for everyone is so 
lovely to me I ought to be the happiest person in Oz.” 

“You are,” puffed Kabumpo, clumsily slipping the 
bracelet on Peg’s wooden arm, “and if we ever get 
back to Pumperdink you shall have as many silk 
dresses as you want and — ” The rest of the sentence 
was smothered in a hug. 

Peg Amy was growing fonder and fonder of pomp- 
ous old Kabumpo and by the time he had recovered 
his breath Wag and the Prince came ambling back 
together. They had found an orchard and a kitchen 
garden and as they were no longer hungry, both were 
more cheerful. 

“Let’s play scop hotch,” suggested Wag amiably. 
“I’m tired of hunting Princesses.” There was a smooth 
271 


Kabumpo in Oz 


patch of sand under the trees and Wag hopped over 
and began marking out the squares with his paw. 

“Scop hotch!” laughed Pompa, while Peg gave a 
skip of delight. 


“Play if you want to,” wheezed Kabumpo, shaking 



himself wearily, “I feel about as playful as a stone 
lion. Besides, hop scotch isn’t an elephant game.” 

Peg, Wag and Pompa began to hop scotch for dear 
life. Peg often tumbled over, for it is hard to keep 
your balance on wooden legs, but it was Peg who won 
in the end and Wag crowned her with daisies. 

272 


Chapter Twenty 


“I wish we could go on just as we are,” gasped 
Pompa, mopping his face with his silk handkerchief. 
“We’re all good chums and, if it weren’t for Pumper- 
dink’s disappearing, we might travel all over Oz and 
have no end of adventures together.” 

“Speaking of disappearing,” said Kabumpo, open- 
ing one eye, for he had dozed off during the game, “I 
suppose we’d better be starting if we’re to save the 
Kingdom at all.” 

“ Good-bye to pleasure,” sighed Pompa, as Kabumpo 
lifted him to his back. “ Good-bye to everything! ” 

“Oh, cheer up,” begged Peg, settling herself on 
Wag’s back. 

“Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!” A large yellow bird 
rose suddenly from a near-by bush and flapped its 
wings over Pompa’s head. “Hurrah! Hurrah!” 

“Shoo! Get away!” grumbled Kabumpo crossly. 
“What are you cheering about?” 

“She said to,” cawed the bird, darting over Peg 
Am y’s head. “Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! Let me 
teach you how to be cheerful in three chirps. First, 
think of what you might have been; next, think of 
what you are; then think of what you are going to be. 
Do you get it?” The bird put its head on one side and 
regarded them anxiously. 

273 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“He might have been King of Oz, instead of which 
he is only a lost Prince, and he’s going to be married 
to a mountain top Princess. Do you see anything 
cheerful about that?” demanded Kabumpo angrily. 
“Clear out! We’ll do our own cheering.” 

“Shall I go?” asked the Hurrah Bird, looking very 
crestfallen and pointing its claw at Peg Amy. 

“Maybe you can tell us the way to Sun Top Moun- 
tain,” said Peg politely. 

“You can see it from the other side of the hill,” 
replied the Hurrah Bird. “PU give you a few hur- 
rahs for luck. Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!” 

“Oh, go away,” grumbled Kabumpo. 

“Not till you look at my nest Did you ever see a 
Hurrah Bird’s nest?” he chirped brightly. 

“Let’s look at it,” said Pompa, smiling in spite of 
himself. The Hurrah Bird preened itself proudly as 
they peered through the bushes. Surely it had the 
gayest nest ever built, for it was woven of straw of 
many colors, and hung all over the near-by branches 
were small Oz flags. In the nest three little yellow 
chicks were growing up into Hurrahs and they chirped 
faintly at the visitors. 

“Remember,” called the Father Hurrah, as they 
bade him good-bye, “you can always be cheerful in 
274 


Chapter Twenty 


three chirps if you think of what you might have been, 
what you are, and what you are going to be. Hurrah! 
Hurrah ! Hurrah ! ” 

“There's something in what you’ve said,” chuckled 
Wag. “Good-bye!” 



The moon had come up brightly and even Kabumpo 
began to feel more like himself. “There’s a lot to be 
learned by traveling, eh, Wag?” He winked at the 
rabbit, who was just behind him. “Let’s see — somer- 
saults for sums — never be gormish — and now, how to 
be cheerful in three chirps. Hurrah! Hurrah! Hur- 
275 


Kabumpo in Oz 


rah!” The Elegant Elephant began to plow swiftly 
through the daisy field, so that in almost no time they 
reached the top of the little hill and as they did so 
Peg gave a little scream of delight. As for the others, 
they were simply speechless. 

A purple mountain rose steeply ahead, and set like 
a crown upon its summit was a glittering gold castle, 
the loveliest, laciest gold castle you could imagine, 
with a hundred fluttering pennants. All down the 
mountain side spread its lovely gardens, its golden 
arbors and flower bordered paths. 

“Fve seen it before!” cried the Wooden Doll softly, 
but no one heard her. Pompa drew a deep breath, for 
the castle, shimmering in the moonlight, seemed al- 
most too beautiful to believe. 

“Whe-ew!” whistled Wag, breaking the silence. 
“The Princess of Tun Sop Wountain must be won- 
derful.” 

“Shall we start up now?” gasped Kabumpo, swing- 
ing his trunk nervously. 

“I don’t believe she’ll ever marry me. Let’s don’t go 
at all,” muttered the Prince of Pumperdink in a 
shaking voice. 

“Oh, come on!” called Wag, who was curious to see 
the owner of so grand a castle. 

376 


Chapter Twenty 


“But we mustn’t go, Wag,” gasped Peg Am y. “How 
would it look to have a shabby old doll tagging along 
when he’s trying to talk to the Princess!” 

“ If Peg doesn’t go, I’m not going,” declared Pompa 
stubbornly. 

“You’re just as good as any Princess,” said Ka- 
bumpo, “and I’m not going without you, either.” 

As the Elegant Elephant refused to budge and 
there seemed no other way out of it, Peg Amy finally 
consented and the four adventurers started fearfully 
up the winding path, almost expecting the castle to 
disappear before they reached the top, so unreal did it 
seem in the moonlight. There was no one in the garden 
but there were lights in the castle windows. “Just 
as if they expected us,” said the Elegant Elephant, as 
they reached the tall gates. Pompa opened the gates 
and next instant they were standing before the great 
castle door. 

“Shall we knock f” chattered Wag, his eyes sticking 
out with excitement. 

“No! Wait a minute,” begged the Prince, who was 
becoming more agitated every minute. 

“Here’s the mirror and the door knob,” quavered 
Kabumpo. “Didn’t the Question Box say to trust 
them? Why, look here, Pompa, my boy, it fits!” 

277 . 


Kabumpo in Oz 


Clumsily, Kabumpo held up the glittering door knob 
he had brought all the way from Pumperdink; then 
he slipped it easily on the small gold bar projecting 
from the door. 

But instead of looking joyful Pompa groaned dis- 
mally. He started to protest but Kabumpo had al- 
ready turned the knob and they found themselves in a 
glittering gold court room. 

“Now for the Princess,” puffed Kabumpo, looking 
around with his twinkling little eyes. “Here, take the 
mirror, Pompa.” The room was empty, although bril- 
liantly lighted, and the Prince stood uncertainly in the 
very center. Suddenly, with a determined little ory, 
Pompa rushed over to Peg Amy, who stood leaning 
against a tall gold chair. 

“Peg,” choked Pompa, dropping on his knees be- 
side the Wooden Doll, “I’ll have to find some other 
way to save Pumperdink. Pm not going to marry 
this Princess and have you taken away from me. 
You’re a proper enough Princess for me and we’ll 
just go back to Pumperdink and be — ” 

“The mirror! Look in the mirror!” screamed Wag, 
who was sitting beside Peg Am y. 

Unconsciously, Pompa had held out the gold mirror 
and Peg, leaning over to listen, had looked directly 
278 



There stood Peg Amy, the Loyliest Little Princess in the world 


Kabumpo in Oz 


into it. Above Peg’s pleasant reflection in the mirror 
they read these startling and important words: 


This is Peg Amy, Princess 
of Sun Top Mountain. 


While Pompa stared with round eyes the words 
faded out and this new legend formed in the glass: 


This is the Proper Princess. 


“I always knew you were a Princess,” cried Wag, 
turning a somersault. 

The big rabbit had just come right-side-up, when a 
still more amazing thing happened. The wooden body 
of Peg melted before their eyes and in its place stood 
the loveliest little Princess in the world. And yet, 
with all her beauty, she was strangely like the old 
Peg. Her eyes had the same merry twinkle and her 
mouth the same pleasant curve. 

“Oh!” cried Princess Peg, holding her arms out to 
her friends. “How I am the happiest person in Oz!” 

280 



Chapter 21 

How It All Came About 


B EFORE Pompa had time to rise, a tall, richly 
clad old nobleman rushed into the room. 

“Peg!” cried the old gentleman, clasping the 
Princess in his arms. “You are back! At last the 
enchantment is broken!” 

For a moment the two forgot all about Pompa and 
the others. Then, gently disengaging herself, Peg 
281 


Kabumpo in Oz 


seized the Prince’s hands and drew him to his feet. 

“Uncle,” she said breathlessly, holding to Pompa 
with one hand and waving with the other at Kabumpo 
and Wag, “here are the friends responsible for my 
release. This is my Uncle Tozzyfog,” she explained 
quickly, and impulsively Uncle Tozzyfog sprang to 
his feet and embraced each in turn — even Kabumpo. 

“Sit down,” begged the old nobleman, sinking into 
a golden chair and mopping his head with a flowered 
silk kerchief. 

Pompa, who could not take his eyes from this new 
and wonderful Peg Amy, dropped into another chair. 
Kabumpo leaned limply against a pillar and Wag sat 
where he was, his nose twitching faster than ever and 
his ears stuck out straight behind him. 

“You are probably wondering about the change in 
Peg,” began Uncle Tozzyfog, as the Princess perched 
on the arm of his chair, “so Pll try to tell my part of 
the story. Three years ago an ugly old peddlar climbed 
the path to Sun Top Mountain. He said his name was 
Glegg and, forcing his way into the castle, he de- 
manded the hand of my niece in marriage.” 

Peg shuddered and Uncle Tozzyfog blew his nose 
violently at the distressing memory. Then, speaking 
rapidly and pausing every few minutes to appeal to 
282 


Chapter Twenty- One 

the Princess, he continued the story of Peg’s enchant- 
ment. Naturally the old peddlar had been refused 
and thrown out of the castle. That night as Uncle 
Tozzyfog prepared to carve the royal roast, there 
came an explosion, and when the courtiers had picked 
themselves up Peg Amy was nowhere to be seen, and 
only a threatening scroll remained to explain the 
mystery. Glegg, who was really a powerful magician, 
infuriated by Uncle Tozzyfog’s treatment, had 
changed the little Princess into a tree. 

“Know ye,” began the scroll quite like the one that 
had spoiled Pompa’s birthday, “know ye that unless 
ye Princess of Sun Top Mountain consents to wed 
J. Glegg she shall remain a tree forever, or until two 
shall call and believe her to be a Princess. J. G.” 

The whole castle had been plunged into utmost 
gloom by this terrible happening, for Peg was the 
kindliest, best loved little Princess any Kingdom 
could wish for. Lord Tozzyfog and nearly all the 
Courtiers set out at once to search for the little tree 
and for two years they wandered over Oz, addressing 
every hopeful tree as Princess, but never happening 
on the right one. Finally they returned in despair and 
Sun Top Mountain, once the most cheerful Kingdom 
in all Oz, had become the gloomiest. There was no 
283 


Kabumpo in Oz 

singing, nor dancing — no happiness of any kind. 
Even the flowers had drooped in the absence of their 
little Mistress. 

“Why didn’t you appeal to Ozma?” demanded 
Pompa at this point in the story. 

“Because in another scroll Glegg warned us that 
the day we told Ozma, Peg Amy would cease to even 
be a tree,” explained Uncle Tozzyfog hoarsely. 

“Then how did she become a doll? Tell me that, 
Uncle Fozzytog,” gulped Wag, raising one paw. 

“She’ll have to tell you that herself,” confessed 
Peg’s uncle, “for that’s all of the story I know.” 

So here Peg took up the story herself. The morning 
after her transformation into a tree Glegg had ap- 
peared and asked her again to marry him. “I was a 
little yellow tree, in the Winkie Country, not far from 
the E m erald City,” explained Peg, “and every day 
for two months Glegg appeared and gave me the 
power of speech long enough to answer his question. 
And each time he asked me to marry him but I always 
said ‘No!’” The Princess shook her yellow curls 
briskly. 

“One afternoon there came a one-legged sailor man 
and a little girl.” Even Kabumpo shuddered as Peg 
Amy told how Cap’n Bill had cut down the little tree, 
284 


Chapter Twenty-One 


pared off all the branches and carved from the trunk 
a small wooden doll for Trot 
“It didn’t hurt,” Princess Peg hastened to explain 
as she caught Pompa’s sorrowful expression, “and 
being a doll was a lot better than being a tree. I could 
not move or speak but I knew what was going on and 
life in Ozma’s palace was cheerful and interesting. 
Only, of course, I longed to tell Ozma or Trot of my 
enchantment. I missed dear Uncle Tozzyfog and all 
the people of Sim Top Mountain. Then, as you all 
know, I was stolen by the old gnome and after Rug- 
gedo carried me underground I forgot all about being 
a Princess and remembered nothing of this.” Peg 
glanced lovingly around the room. “I only felt that 
I had been alive before. So you!” Peg jumped up 
and flung one arm around Wag, “and you,” she flung 
the other around Pompa, “saved me by calling me a 
Princess and really believing I was one. And you!” 
Peg hastened over to Kabumpo, who was rolling his 
eyes sadly. “You are the darlingest old elephant in 
Oz! See, I still have the necklace and bracelet!” And 
sure enough on Peg’s round arm and white neck 
gleamed the jewels the Elegant Elephant had gener- 
ously given when he thought her only a funny Wooden 
Doll 


285 


Kabumpo in Oz 


“Oh!” groaned Kabumpo. “Why didn’t I let you 
look in the mirror before? No wonder you kept re- 
membering things.” 

“But why did Glegg send the threatening scroll 
to Pumperdink three years after he’d enchanted 
Peg?” asked Wag, scratching his head. 

“Because!” shrilled a piercing voice, and in through 
the window bounded a perfectly dreadful old man. It 
was Glegg himself! 

“Because!” screeched the wicked magician, ad- 
vancing toward the little party with crooked finger, 
“when that meddling old sailor touched Peg with his 
knife I lost all power over her; because my Question 
Box told me that Pompadore of Pumperdink could 
bring about her disenchantment and he has. I made 
it interesting for you, didn’t I? There isn’t another 
magician in Oz can put scrolls up in cakes and roasts 
like I can nor mix magic like mine. Ha! Ha!” Glegg 
threw back his head and rocked with enjoyment. 
“You have had all the trouble and I shall have all the 
reward!” 

Everyone was so stunned by this terrible interrup- 
tion that no one made a move as Glegg sprang toward 
Peg Amy. But before he had reached the Princess 
there was a queer sulphurous explosion and the ma- 
286 






Kabumpo in Oz 

gician disappeared in a cloud of green smoke. They 
rubbed their eyes and as the smoke cleared they saw 
Trot, the little girl who had played with Peg Am y 
when she was a Wooden Doll. 

“Ozma,” explained Trot breathlessly, for she had 
come on a fast wish. 



After following the adventures of Pompa and Peg 
in the Magic Mirror, and as the magician had tried 
to snatch the Princess, Ozma had transported him by 
means of her Magic Belt to the Emerald City, and sent 
Trot to bring her best wishes to the whole party. 

288 



< l 


Every day Glegg returned 
said ‘No’! ” 


AND ASKED ME TO MARRY HIM, 

explained Peg — Page 284 


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Chapter Twenty-One 


“ I’m sorry I didn’t make you a prettier dress when 
you were my doll,” said Trot, seizing Peg Amy’s hand 
impulsively, “but you see I didn’t know you were a 
Princess.” 

“But you guessed my name,” said Peg softly. 

There were so many explanations to be made and 
so many things to wonder over and exclaim about, 
that it seemed as if they could never stop talking. 

Uncle Tozzyfog rang all the bells in the castle tower 
and stepping out on a balcony told the people of Sun 
Top Mountain of the return of Princess Peg Amy. 
Then the servants were summoned and such a feast as 
only an Oz cook can prepare was started in the castle 
kitchen. The Courtiers came hurrying back, for dur- 
ing Peg’s absence Uncle Tozzyfog had lived alone in 
the castle. Yes, the Courtiers came back and the peo- 
ple of Sun Top Mountain poured into the castle in 
throngs and nearly overwhelmed the rescuers by the 
enthusiasm of their thanks. 

Kabumpo had never been so admired and compli- 
mented in his whole elegant life. As for Wag, his 
speech grew more mixed up every minute. At last, 
when the Courtiers and Uncle Tozzyfog had run off to 
dress for the grand banquet, and after Trot had been 
magically recalled by Ozma to the Emerald City, the 
289 


Kabumpo in Oz 


four who had gone through so many adventures to- 
gether were left alone. 

“Well, how about Pumperdink, my boy?” chuckled 
Kabumpo, with a wave of his trunk. “Are we going 
to let the old Kingdom disappear or not?” 

“It is my duty to save my country,” said Pompa 
loftily. Then, with a mischievous smile at Peg Amy, 
“Don’t you think so, Princess?” Peg Amy looked 
merrily at the Elegant Elephant and then took 
Pompa’s hand. 

“Yes, I do,” said the Princess of Sun Top Mountain. 

“Then, you will marry me?” asked Pompa, looking 
every inch a Prince in spite of his singed head and 
tom clothes. 

“We must save Pumperdink, you know,” sighed 
Peg softly. 

“Three cheers for the Princess of Pumperdink! 
May she be as happy as the day is short!” cried Wag 
in his impulsive way. 

Uncle Tozzyfog was as pleased as Wag when he 
heard the news, and Pompa, attired in a royal gold 
embroidered robe, was married to Peg Amy upon the 
spot, with much pomp and magnificence. 

Never before was there such rejoicing — a merrier 
company or a happier bride. Kabumpo, arrayed in 
290 


Chapter Twenty- One 


two gold curtains borrowed for the happy occasion, 
had never appeared more elegant and Wag was every- 
where at once and simply overwhelmed with attention. 

That same night a messenger was dispatched to 
Pumperdink to carry the good news and the next 
morning Pompa and Peg set out for the Emerald City, 
the Princess riding proudly on Wag and Pompadore 
on Kabumpo. Knowing the whole four as you now 
do, you will believe me when I say that their journey 
was the merriest and most delightful ever recorded 
in the merry Kingdom of Oz. 

After a short visit with Ozma and another to the 
King and Queen of Pumperdink they all returned to 
Sim Top Mountain, where they are living happily at 
this very minute. 


291 



Chapter 22 

Ruggedos Last Rock 

T HERE are only a few more mysteries to clear up 
before we leave for a time the jolly Kingdom of 
Oz. Ruggedo, much shaken by his terrible experi- 
ences with Clegg’s magic, confessed everything to 
Ozma on her return to the Emerald City. You can 
imagine the surprise of the little Fairy Ruler on learn- 
ing how her palace had come to be impaled upon the 
292 


Chapter Twenty-Two 


spikes of the wicked old gnome’s gray head. 

“He will nev-er re-form,” said Tik Tok mournfully, 
as Ruggedo finished his recital. The bad little gnome 
assured Ozma that he had reformed and begged for 
another chance, but this time Ozma knew better, and 
putting on her Magic Belt she whispered a few secret 
words. Then they all hurried over to the Magic Pic- 
ture, for they knew that Ruggedo had been trans- 
ported to a safe place at last. The picture showed the 
Runaway Country rushing along faster than an ex- 
press train and dancing up and down on its highest hill 
was the furious old King of the Gnomes. They watched 
until the Country plunged joyfully into the Nonestic 
Ocean and, when it was almost in the middle, Ozma 
stopped it by the magic spinning process and it be- 
came Ruggedo’s Island. 

“Well,” sighed Dorothy as they turned from the 
picture, “I guess that will be Ruggedo’s last rock!” 

“He’s rocked in the cradle of the deep now,” chuck- 
led the Scarecrow. “And I hope it quiets him down. 
They ought to make a good pair — that bad little 
Island and that bad little King,” he added reflectively. 

Then Ozma proposed that they follow the adven- 
tures of Peg and Pompa, having so satisfactorily dis- 
posed of Ruggedo. How she transported Glegg just 
293 



“I GUESS THAT WILL BE BUGGEDO’S LAST ROOK*” SAID DOROTHY 


Chapter Twenty-Two 


in time to save the Princess you already know. But 
what happened to Glegg himself is interesting. When 
the old magician had asked his Question Box how to 
regain control over Peg again it had directed him to 
bury his Mixed Magic under the Emerald City and 
in two years to send the scroll to Pumperdink. So 
Glegg had tunneled out the cave under Ozma’s palace 
and left his magic in what he supposed was a very 
safe place. It had been a great hardship to do without 
it for two years, but he wanted Peg so badly that he 
actually did this, never dreaming that Ruggedo had 
moved in and discovered his treasures. The Question 
Box had told the exact day Peg would be disenchanted 
and all that long two years Glegg had waited, hidden 
in a forest near Sim Top Mountain. 

As he knew nothing of the discovery of his magic 
box, no one was more surprised than he to find himself, 
just as he was on the point of seizing Peg, transported 
to the Emerald City. 

While Sir Hokus of Pokes held the struggling 
Glegg, Ozma asked the Question Box how to deal with 
him. Everybody crowded around the little Fairy 
Ruler to hear what the wicked old magician’s fate 
was to be. 

“Give him a taste of his own magic,” directed the 
295 


Kabumpo in Oz 

Question Box. “Make him drink a cup of his Triple 
Trick Tea.” This Ozma did, although it took fourteen 
people to get Glegg to drink it. But, stars! No sooner 
had the liquid touched his lips than the miserable old 
magician went off with a loud explosion! 



Mixed Magic was carefully put away in 
safe and then the whole company — 
, Sir Hokus, the Scarecrow and all the 
celebrities — devoted themselves to setting the topsy 
turvy palace to rights, for they knew by the Magic 
296 


Chapter Twenty-Two 


picture that Pompa and Peg Am y were coming to 
visit them. 


“ Glegg, CHegg, shake a leg 
And never more, Sir, bother Peg! ” 

shouted Scraps, as she swept up the black soot Glegg 
had left when he exploded. And he never did. 



297 





Pip.ce.5# 
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